Children of Sorrowful Fate
by lunarmira
Summary: Cruel destiny awaits those chosen to be jinchuuriki. Now those left must find a way to fight this unkind cage, but can there be any escape? Any end to the history of violence? Second Generation.
1. Chapter 1

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_Prologue_

_**AN**__: _I do not own Naruto. However the original characters herein are mine, so please ask if you like them so much you want to use them.

* * *

_He ran. The fires of his home blazed behind him, and he tried not to look, just kept pressing onwards. The small bundle he carried squirmed unhappily, and he adjusted his arms to carry the weight more comfortably._

_Only a month ago everything had been alright. His cousin had given birth to the prettiest little girl he had seen born to the Hyuga, with pupil less eyes a pale blue instead of the white lavender the rest of the clan had. The infant's father was so happy too, buying presents for all of his friends, and proudly showing the girl off._

_Then night came... and with it the first of the attacks. _

_A long time afterwards morning finally dawned, but by then the worse had happened... most of his family fled with some of the other citizens of Konoha to allied nations. Hinata had refused to go, instead wanting to wait on her husband to return home. She barely cared for her daughter, and Neji couldn't leave them. He took over as guardian for little Hitori, and watched for news. _

_Another night, another attack. It continued for a month in this way. Until one afternoon when Neji went to retrieve Hinata for dinner and found her slumped over in her chair where she had been watching the entry way for her husband, a bloody kunai on the floor falling from her lifeless hand._

_That night when the attacks came, Neji didn't fight to protect his family, they were all gone but one. He picked her up, vaguely aware that the streets were empty, and then the fires started, the buildings collapsed..._

_Carrying his small niece, he ran with all his remaining strength to the only place he knew to be a safe haven. _

* * *

Gaara looked over the reports of the day's missions when the door opened and his wife, Maya, entered the room, holding their six month old son.

"Has there been any news?" she asked quietly, concern shining in her emerald eyes.

"No. All the reports say the same thing they've said for a month... at night whatever it is that attacks is attacking and any and all shinobi who go against it either or killed or can't remember what it is they've been fighting." his eyes narrowed and he rubbed his temple, "The first night alone a good quarter of Konoha's forces were lost, the ones who stayed behind after that..." he frowned, he had hoped that the news wasn't correct, but the team that had returned today gave the same report as the refugees that had poured into the village.

Taran started to fuss, and Gaara looked at his son and wife, _What of Naruto's child? Lee spoke as if she was born right before the attacks started. _

He had been escorting civilians into the city, along with Temari and Shikamaru's team. Somehow the shinobi had managed to save and convince them to take their belongings and flee for safety until news came that the attacks had ceased. Unfortunately as of yet, no news came.

"Gaara?" Maya asked quietly.

"Three days... so much can change in the time it takes to travel between our two villages," he murmured, "Maybe I should go myself to..."

A clamor in the hallway interrupted his thoughts, cries of "No you can't go in there!" rang through the corridor heading to the Kazekage's office.

The door burst open and Neji flew in, followed by a good ten members of Suna's anbu.

"He's alright," Gaara said quietly as he rose from his desk and the Anbu vanished with no protest. He noted the sweat on Neji's face and fathomed that he must have been running non-stop.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Ko...konaha's been destroyed," Neji collapsed, somehow managing to place the blanketed bundle in Gaara's arms.

* * *

A day later he woke up in a warm bed, "Hitori!" he cried, sitting up and searching for the small infant.

"Shh," a woman with long dark hair swept into a loose bun spoke quietly, "She and Taran are sleeping."

He stared for a moment, "You're Maya aren't you?" at her nod, he smiled painfully, "Then I made it," he breathed a sigh of relief, "And she's alright... even after..."

Maya smiled softly, "She was a bit hungry, but other than that perfectly fine. Gaara's more worried about you." her smile turned sad for a moment, "I suppose..."

"Can I see her," Neji interrupted, not wanting to be reminded of why he had returned to Konoha from his position of diplomat, leaving it to Tenten. The marriage of convenience arranged by the elders between the Kazekage and the girl from the capitol still left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Maya stared a moment at him with her emerald eyes, and nodded, "Come here," she said softly, "I don't want to wake them."

He walked over to her, and peered into the bassinet she was standing next to, and smiled at seeing Hitori swaddled up warmly and sleeping. He turned to see a crib behind Maya, and saw that there was another baby.

"Gaara's... son?" he asked haltingly, Maya nodded.

"I didn't think he would..."

"For a long time neither did I," she admitted, "He barely looked at me the first year of our marriage. Even now..." she blushed, "This is actually my room, so I can be near Taran, but we figured that you would be more comfortable if you saw Hitori as soon as you were able to."

A small smile crossed his lips, "Thank you. Is it alright if I trust her to your care for just a bit longer?"

"Gaara's in his study," she whispered, "And... thank you Neji."

He looked at her confused for a moment, "For what?"

She smiled up at him, "For coming here safely." He stared at her and nodded, leaving before he saw any tears come to her eyes. She shook her head, fighting the tears back. "I'm happy he's here," she reminded herself quietly. Hitori started to mewl and she turned to address the small infant.

"Besides, now Taran has such a pretty little friend," she cooed at the baby.

* * *

Gaara stood at the windows, staring towards the direction of Konoha. Neji walked in, and the Kazekage sighed, "You never did knock when you were here the first time."

"Maya led me to believe that you were expecting me," Neji gazed at him, "You haven't changed."

"It only seems that way," Gaara turned away from the window, "It's been five years since you left."

"Do you blame me?"

"No, I would have most likely left as well," the leader sat down at a small table and motioned for Neji to do the same, "Though I have noticed Maya's company isn't exactly distasteful. She's very good at keeping the council away for instance."

"I suppose when one is raised as a bureaucrat and not a shinobi, one would pick up a few things here and there," Neji mused.

"Between her and Grandfather Ebizo, I've hardly had any problems. Excepting of course the usual financial mess. But I'd rather have peace and suffer through the reconstruction missions than the wartimes and the missions that come with it. Though it would be nice if they paid better."

"That's the price we pay for peace it seems. Apparently Konoha was lucky in that the Sannin Jiraiya left the proceeds of his book to the villages coffers." Neji had a slight smirk on his face, "Something that I'm certain that our past Hokage would have punched him through a few walls for."

Gaara's eyes widened, and he bit his lower lip, an indication to Neji's eyes that he was trying extremely hard not to burst into laughter. Five years ago he would have pushed the matter, but today he simply let the Kazekage compose himself. After a few moments Gaara sighed and stared at his companion, "I need to ask you something."

Neji cocked his head to the side, "What is it?"

"Hitori. She had something on her forehead," the stare started to turn deadly, "You once told me that you weren't sealed until you were four years of age. Why does she have it when she's not even a full month old?"

"They gave it to her when the first attack happened," Neji said quietly, "Naruto and I had left to fight... and I'm not sure how they managed to convince Hinata, but recent events lead me to believe that it wasn't difficult. But when I returned, it was there." His eyes darkened, "What's more, is it's a stronger seal than the one I have."

"What happened to Naruto? You speak as if he didn't make it pass the first night."

"He didn't. He rushed headlong into the fight ahead of everyone else in our group. When we had tried to follow there was a blinding flash of light... and then... nothing. The attacks stopped and we couldn't find Naruto in the dead. But he never returned."

"If he were still alive he would have come back to his daughter," Gaara said quietly, having come to the same tragic conclusion Neji had a month ago, "Unless there was a greater danger that would have happened."

The other man nodded, "I should have came sooner, but I couldn't convince Hinata to leave, and I had promised Naruto..." he shook his head, "I couldn't do anything for her."

The Kazekage rested his hand on Neji's, and the Hyuga closed his eyes.

"Rest now," Gaara said, "I'll watch over Hitori for you while you get your strength back."

* * *

Two months passed before anyone could decide what to do of Konoha. The attacks seemed to have stopped with it's destruction, but no one was sure whether or not it was safe to return.

However, the council and Daimyo of the Land of Fire soon wanted the citizens of it's Hidden Village to come back and set up shop again.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed when he received the latest message, "But I suppose we'll just keep on rebuilding no matter how many times it gets destroyed."

The refugees started to leave that day to return to their home, all except for Neji.

"I'll cover for you," Tenten said, "But are you sure?"

He glanced over at Hitori, who was being lifted in the air by an energetic Lee, "I think she and I should stay here for a bit. Besides I almost killed her in the run here, she's much too young to make the journey again."

Tenten sighed, "And this has nothing to do with your family? Or the fact that they just last week sent a message demanding that you pledge allegiance to the new Head?"

"Hanabi will get along fine without my support. She already has the Hyuga council telling her every decision to make and her marriage will be taking place soon." Neji shook his head, "No. I won't be returning to them. Not until I can change the clan's fate," he took Hitori from Lee, "She deserves better than that."

"Well, alright then, I pass on my diplomatic title to you," Tenten grinned, "Hopefully the new Hokage will be alright with it."

After saying his farewells to Lee and Tenten he watched them head towards Konoha, then smiled and returned to the streets of Suna, heading towards the Kazekage tower.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_Chapter One_

**AN:**_I do not own Naruto. Obviously there would be some changes if I did. Not that I'm telling you what they are, that's what fan fiction is for. _

_Hitori, Taran, and Maya are my original characters. But if you like them, let me know._

* * *

_**Seven Years Later...**_

The auburn haired boy sat up in his bed, clutching his knees. Again he couldn't sleep, and he couldn't exactly say why. Except for when he closed his eyes he had dreams of blood and a golden eyed monster that seemed to threaten to eat him up if he fell too deeply into slumber.

The only person he told about the dreams was the little girl with pixie short dark hair that was sleeping next to him. He looked at her envious for a moment before sighing. _It's not Hitori's fault I can't sleep. And she did try to stay up with me._

Maybe he should take her advice and speak to his father, he also had dark circles like he never slept as well, he might know something about the monster of his dreams.

Taran snorted at that thought, _Father doesn't sleep for worrying of the village. That's all. _Even now he could sense his father pacing somewhere in the Kazekage tower worrying about the affairs of the Sunagakure, _Ever since Mother's death things have been going downhill here. He has to deal with the council more, and from what I can tell, they don't make things easy for him._

Hitori stirred and he stared at her for a moment, before getting up and walking to the bookshelf as quietly as he could. Picking out the volume he had started before dinner he made his way back to the bed and grabbed a flashlight from the night stand.

He was not aware of Gaara standing outside his door or that the Kazekage had been watching him tonight like he had been several weeks in a row now, since he had noticed the faint circles forming around Taran's eyes.

_It shouldn't be possible... _But the facts were slowly coming together and they were all pointing to one conclusion, one that filled Gaara with horror. The thing now was to figure out exactly _how _it had happened, and somehow protect Taran from the demon taking over.

_I won't be able to protect him forever though. He needs to learn how to deal with Shukaku on his own. _He sighed to himself and lowered the hand that was about to knock on the door, _First I find out how... and then I talk to him. _

He slowly walked away, to engaged in his thoughts to notice the concerned white eyes staring at him from the end of the hall.

* * *

"Uncle Neji!" Hitori called as she ran into his bedroom, "Time to get up! You said you would take me and Taran out for my birthday treat today!"

"Taran and I," he corrected sleepily as he sat up, "And Hitori, it's barely sunrise, the market won't be open yet."

"But the breakfast place I like will be open!" she pointed out, "And Uncle Gaara can come with us if we leave early enough!"

"Alright little one," Neji got out of bed, "Go and get him before any of his subordinates do and tell him we're all taking a vacation today. See if you can charm Kankuro or Baki to cover for him." he ruffled her hair, "I'll catch up in a minute."

She ran off, meeting Taran by the door to their room, and stopped for a moment, "Did you sleep at all?" she asked in a whisper.

He shook his head and she chewed her lip, "Taran... you've got to talk to him."

"He wouldn't be able to help, it's nothing more than bad dreams," Taran said a little too harshly, then at Hitori's concerned look, he sighed, "Look, don't worry about it. Besides, it's your birthday, let's have fun today."

She smiled and grabbed his hand, "We've got to hurry so your dad can come with us!" The two ran down the hall and up the stairs to his father's office, where Gaara was locking the door.

He turned and smiled at them, "I already took care of everything," Hitori cheered and hugged him, while Taran stood a bit to the side, almost smiling at how easily his friend found it to love everyone. _She'll even talk to the old man on the way to school that curses everyone. _

He on the other hand barely spoke to anyone, much less liked many of the people surrounding him, Hitori was the only one he trusted explicitly, his father and Neji being the two adults he considered almost trustworthy, if it weren't for the fact that he was certain that they were hiding something from the two children. Others he never even considered, partly due to the fact that no one his age but Hitori wanted to talk to him in the first place. He had chalked it up to the fact that he was a tad unapproachable and the other children were nervous because he was the Kazekage's son.

She grabbed his hand again, and Neji walked towards the three, "I see you caught him," the Hyuga said.

"He said he's already done for today!" Hitori grinned, "So let's go!" She dragged Taran behind her as she led the group out into the awakening streets of Suna, heading towards a pastry shop that had been dubbed her favorite a few years back, mainly because of the cinnamon rolls that it sold. She glanced briefly at Gaara and Taran, "Are you guys sure though, I know you don't like sweets..."

"It's your birthday," Gaara said quietly, "We'll suffer through it."

She grinned and they continued along through the mostly empty marketplace which was soon filling up with traders and customers.

* * *

The market of Suna had gotten bigger in recent years. As there were hardly any missions of battle or investigation left, Gaara had been left with other ways to make an income for his village, and he started to encourage the more creative side of the villagers in addition to the military side.

Partly because of this, and partly because of the herders in the area surrounding Sunagakure and the clay made from the sand, there were several weavers and potters, which made high demand goods that were able to be traded for many things, which were all sold in this market, said to now be the rival of the one of the capital. Gaara doubted this boast, and chalked it up to mere flattery, but he did like to privately brag to himself on how gifted some of his people were.

It seemed that Hitori did not share the great shopping instinct of other females though, at least not for herself, and despite the several things she picked out for each of the others, they went to several booths searching for her present before a strange squawk had caught her attention.

She turned and saw a small booth with a cloaked man with his face wrapped as the way of some of the deep desert dwellers. He had several odd charms laid out in a blanket in front of him... and a black crow hopping around the booth, tethered to a leather rope.

Grinning she walked over, and quietly watched the crow for a few minutes. Sensing he had an audience, the crow squawked again and flapped his wings, gently landed on her shoulder and taking a strand of her short hair into his beak.

"Chi seems to like you," the cloaked man said, "That's strange for him."

"He's wonderful!" Hitori said happily, "But he's not one of your charms is he?" she gestured to the small beaded trinkets in the man's booth. She guessed that if the crow already had a name, then he was a partner to attract attention to the wares.

The man reached into a fold of his cloak and pulled out a small pouch, opening it he took out a bit of red meat, "Let me see if he eats from you, for a crow he's picky." he held out the meat and she took it, offering it to the bird.

He took the meat gingerly, acting as if he didn't really like it, and she smiled a bit as he ate it, Taran had caught up with her by now and eyed the crow warily.

"If you want to have him he can be yours," the man seemed to be grinning under his wrappings, "I've not seen him warm up to other people. And I've rarely seen him eat meat, he tends to like vegetables more."

Her eyes widened happily and she turned to Neji who nodded and asked, "How much?"

* * *

"Hitori, you can't just give your vegetables to Chi, you have to eat some too," Neji quietly reprimanded the girl who was in process of passing a piece of cabbage to the crow.

"But he likes them more!" she argued.

"No matter," he said, "You won't get strong if you only eat what you like."

She sighed and put a piece of the cabbage in her mouth, making faces all the while. Taran and Neji ignored her while they continued their meal.

Gaara inwardly smiled as she peeked up to see if her uncle was looking and then attempted to sneak more of her vegetables to the crow.

"Hitori," warned Neji. She sighed once more and picked slowly at the rest of her cabbage and carrots. But she did eat them.

"Lord Kazekage," an anbu appeared out of a swirl of sand as the group was finishing, "Your presence is required at the council."

Gaara nodded and rose from the table, "I apologize Hitori, but it seems that something urgent has come up. But enjoy the rest of your birthday." He ignored her slight pout as he left.

"Let's get going ourselves," Neji said, "Where shall we go next?"

Hitori scrunched her nose, "Let's go to the playground," she said after a moment, "And then after that get some ice cream on the way home. We can buy a carton and some cones so Uncle Gaara can have some too."

Her uncle ruffled her hair, "He abandoned us for work, are you sure you want to give him ice cream?"

"He has too!" Hitori exclaimed, "Suna needs him a lot more than Taran and I do. Besides we've got you." Her face fell a little as Neji went to pay the bill, "Still I wished that he could have stayed a bit longer," she confided to Taran.

"It's as you say, the village needs him more than we do," Taran pointed out. Chi cawed his agreement, and Taran stared at the crow again, "That's such an odd choice for you."

"How so?" Hitori asked, but before Taran could answer, Neji returned.

He gave her a look that said "We'll talk about it later," and she nodded as they headed to the small playground outside of the academy.

* * *

"Why is it odd?" Hitori asked Taran as she plopped down on a swing and started wildly pumping her legs to get as high as she can.

The boy closed his emerald eyes for a second in contemplation as he sat down on the swing next to her, "You're a puppy person." he finally said.

"Nah!" she said happily, she hadn't gone this high before, "Besides Chi's kinda cute." the crow in question cawed his agreement from his perch on top of the bar holding the swings, "That and it must be really neat to fly and all. And maybe I can get him to take messages to Konoha or somewhere else, and help Uncle Gaara out."

Taran gazed thoughtfully at his friend for a long moment. "You just want him to go find out clues about your father."

She grinned, "You know me so well!" She didn't believe that Naruto had died the night she was born, he seemed to have an uncanny sense of luck from the stories that Neji had told her, and she refused to accept that he would be defeated so easily.

When Taran had pointed out that the type of person that her father was wouldn't have left his wife and daughter, she huffed and protested that he must have had a good reason.

"But he can keep you company if I fall asleep on you again," she added thoughtfully.

Taran opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Hitori yelping and suddenly letting go of the chains and tumbling forward to the ground from almost the top of the bar.

Neji was on the other side of the playground speaking to a Suna gennin who had asked for help when Chi cawed frantically and he looked to see Hitori falling from the swings. He ran over hoping he could make it on time to catch her, and cursing whatever entity it was that made swings go so damn high in the first place.

He didn't make it to her, but stared at the bank of sand that rose up and was slowly dissolving to let her down gently. He whipped his head around to thank Gaara, but couldn't see the Kazekage anywhere.

"Thanks Taran!" Hitori suddenly hugged the boy.

Neji stared at him for a second, then cleared his throat and addressed Hitori, "What have I told you about jumping from the swings?"

"It wasn't my fault!" she exclaimed holding out both hands backs up, "Something bit me!"

He took her hands and examined the small welts forming on them, "Alright. Let's go to the infirmary now."

"But they're just bug bites Uncle Neji!" Hitori protested, "Besides you said ice..." she closed her mouth at his stern look, "Yes sir," she said glumly.

"Taran. I want you to go straight home. Your father needs to talk to you about what happened."

"But he saved me! Why is he in trouble?!" Hitori cried and Neji rubbed his temple.

"He's not. I still want him to talk to his father about how he has such excellent chakra control over sand at such a young age," he said slowly, choosing his words carefully. He was certain that Taran could see through it, but if it got the boy to talk to his father he didn't care. He was starting to piece together why Gaara had been standing outside the children's door for the past few weeks.

And if Taran wouldn't talk to Gaara, he would certainly try and get Gaara to talk to Taran.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

_Chapter Two_

_**AN: **__Again, I don't own Naruto. Hitori and Taran are from my fevered imagination though._

* * *

"What's going on Uncle Neji?" Hitori asked as the nurse wrapped her hands, "These are just bug bites right?" she chewed her lip, this was entirely too much fuss for what she thought had happened, "And Taran just summoned sand, there's nothing wrong with that right, Uncle Gaara can do it."

"Gaara can do it because of..." his voice trailed off when he looked at her, then he grabbed her shoulders, "Hitori... Taran needs you as his friend, no matter what, alright."

She looked at him in complete confusion, "But we are friends no matter what already. What's going on?" but Neji had taken the nurse aside to talk to her in private. She grimaced at her hands, they still hurt.

_**It's chakra burn,**_ a deep voice said.

But when Hitori turned, no one was there except for the crow that was preening his feathers.

* * *

Taran stared at his father, "Why haven't you ever mentioned it before?" he asked quietly.

Gaara sat behind his desk with his hands folded, "Because I had thought that all the bijuu had been destroyed. The only one that's supposed to be left is the kyubbi... and Naruto carried it." He sighed, "We had hoped that you would never find out about them, that they were truly gone."

"But...how?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out," the boy could sense the anger smoldering in his father at those words, and shivered. He had never known the Kazekage as anything but a weary leader and protector of his people, to see him almost furious...

Taran briefly wondered if this was what his father was like before he became Kazekage.

_Back when he carried..._ his thoughts led him to the golden eyes that haunted his nightmares, "Are you sure?" he asked frantically, maybe it wasn't true, that it was just some sort of memory transference that he had gotten... Perhaps there was no monster inside of him.

But a look from his father's teal eyes took that slight bit of hope away, "I've been watching the signs for months now. I don't know how they kept it quiet until now, but whatever seal they used is quickly disappearing. You have to learn how to control Shukaku before it's entirely gone."

_Who's they? And why did they do this? _Taran wanted to scream... but that wouldn't be his way, instead he stared at his father, contemplating all of this information until finally, "Can you teach me?" he said in a low whisper.

* * *

The children ate the birthday supper in silence, Hitori didn't even cheer when Neji brought out the cake. Afterwards, she simply excused herself to her room.

She had asked Taran what was going on, but he gave her a pained look, "Later." he promised, "Just don't ask yet."

She nodded, and didn't say anything more on the subject, not even when he left for special training with his father. _Whatever's causing those nightmares, Uncle Gaara is taking care of, so it's good._ she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Chi pecked her forehead and she opened her eyes to see the sun streaming in the windows. "Already?" she mumbled, then saw the time on the bed stand clock, "Oh gosh! Taran hurry up or we'll be la..." she looked around the room, "Taran?"

She chewed her lip and quickly got dressed and ran down the hall and down stairs to find Taran and Neji at the breakfast table. "Taran! You let me sleep in!" she exclaimed.

"I hadn't been in the room," he said quietly, "Did you set the alarm?"

She almost huffed, but then saw that the circles around his eyes seemed darker, "Have you been..."

"It is late," Neji said as he sipped his coffee, "You two should leave now to make it to your classes on time."

* * *

"How are your hands?" he asked when they had finished their frantic rush to get in their seats before the academy started for the day.

She winced a little as he took them and unwrapped the bandage, "They still hurt. A lot."

Taran narrowed his eyes at the strange cross mark that was now on the back of her hand, "Hitori this isn't a bug bite."

"Whad..." she started, but the teacher had walked in and she clamped her mouth closed.

"Uzumaki. What is that thing on your shoulder?" the old man stared at the girl, who simply grinned back.

"His name's Chi," she said, "And he followed me here." the crow squawked and hopped down to the empty desk beside her, trying his best to look like a studious child.

The teacher glared at her and then the crow, and back at her, and in a huff turned to the blackboard, missing the girl sticking out her tongue as he turned his back.

Her eyes lit up when she saw what he had wrote though.

"Tomorrow we are leaving on a survival scavenger hunt. You will be grouped as partners as opposed to the traditional four man group and you will each be given a list of things to collect as you make your way to a location located twenty kilometers from our village's gates. The rest of today will be spent in free time so that you can choose your partner and gather the things you will need on the trip. Are there any questions?"

"This is going to be great!" Hitori whispered, "I bet we can find everything first!"

Taran didn't share her excitement, "But..." he stared at her, unsure of how to continue, _Not yet... I can't tell her yet..._ "But you haven't been able to use your byakugaun yet," he finished weakly.

"Yeah, but you're super smart. Even if the old man gives us a bunch of riddles to figure out you'll be able to in a heartbeat," she said happily, "And it'll be fun to go camping! Maybe we'll go to the caverns by the oasis." she lowered her voice even further, "There's supposed to be a monster or something in there, Junro was saying last week that his brother had heard screaming from in there."

Taran scowled, "Maybe it's not a monster."

Her eyes widened at that, "It could be someone in trouble! Another reason to go, I bet we could help them!"

He couldn't find any real reason to argue with her, so he let her drag him along to the list of names to sign up and back to the town to get supplies.

* * *

Back at the tower, Gaara was addressing the council, "I did not approve of a survival contest for that class."

"We voted on it unanimously, so there was no need to tell you until it was time to arrange security," an elder said, "I was thinking that perhaps a few chunnin would do nicely, since it's just outside the village."

Another elder concurred and the vote was presented with another unanimous verdict, they turned to the Kazekage.

"I still would like to know why," he said with a slight glance at the paperwork.

"Teacher Kuno brought it up to us a few weeks ago, he thinks that the trip would greatly help the children learn to be aware of their surroundings and make them get a feel to what shinobi in the field do. He even set up a slight mission, they have to collect certain items at checkpoints along the way."

Gaara grimaced, he had no real reason to refuse the security or the trip, but something about it bothered him. It _did_ seem like a sound lesson plan though, one that the children would enjoy.

"Fine then, for something of this caliber, I believe three teams would be needed, for a rough one chunnin to four students ratio," he signed the paperwork to assign the missions, "Now if there's no other business to present to the council, I move we adjourn for the day."

No one said anything, something he took as a good sign, and he started to get up from his seat.

"Lord Kazekage, there actually is something more," one of the younger members of the council said, "Yesterday afternoon there was an incident at the playground, one that involved your son."

"Measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the village," he folded his hands and sat back down, "I believe that there is no danger from this."

* * *

"Alright, here are the lists of the items you will be searching for. They have been placed at checkpoints along the way, so you should be able to them quite easily," Kuno passed folders to each group of partners, "There is also a topographical map included in these packets. Since we learned how to read those last week, you should have no troubles."

He glared at Hitori, "That is if you were paying attention."

"The trip should take you two days if you stop at all the checkpoints, but if for any reason we have to cut it short, the chunnin assigned to this trip will inform the groups assigned to them and will escort them back to the village. Pay attention if your chunnin has anything to say to you."

Another glare directed at Hitori.

"Go on to the front gates, we start in one hour."

"Sheesh," she said after he left, "You'd think I was a bad student or something."

"You are," Taran studied the map from the packet, "You fall asleep, you doodle, you barely pass any tests..."

Chi ruffled his feathers and she glared at the bird, "Don't you start agreeing with him! You haven't even seen me do school work yet."

"He doesn't have to," he pointed at a part of a map, "Tell me what these lines together like that mean."

She sighed, "It's rising in levitation, looks like a mountain or something," she looked closer at the map, "We're going into the mountains? But isn't that really dangerous?"

"I thought you were happy to be doing something outside of the class."

"I am! It's just that..." she lowered her voice, "Your dad isn't very happy about this, I heard him and Uncle Neji talking about it last night."

He raised an eyebrow, "Where were you?"

She huffed, "You didn't come to the room again last night, so I went looking! They were in the kitchen talking about it and I couldn't move because they would have caught me." she glared at him, "For some reason it's not okay for _me_ to be out of bed at night."

"I told you, I'll tell you about it later," he said, folding up the map, "And we need to get going if we're going to get some more supplies." He stood and hefted up his pack, "We need another blanket or two if we're going to be on the mountain at night."

* * *

Kankuro walked into the Kazekage's office, "I'm back little brother. And I don't think you're going to like what I found out."

Gaara sighed, "I haven't liked many things these last few days. Just tell me."

"It seems that Maya's dad was one of the members of the senate," Gaara nodded at this, it was one reason why the council had picked her after all, "But what they didn't tell you was that the committee he was on was into research and development of special weapons."

"Are you saying Maya was the one who put the Shukaku into Taran? That makes no sense though, he and Hitori meant the world to her."

"That's what I thought too, so I looked deeper and found that nurse that came into Suna when Taran was born," Kankuro put a blood red canister on the desk, "That look familiar?"

His brother stared at it for a long moment, but shook his head.

"I didn't think you would remember it, but I promise you that if Temari saw it she would smash it on the spot. That's the same sort of container that Granny Chiyo had." to prove his point he pulled out another canister, this one a dark tan. Both had the same intricate runes on them, and excepting for the color the two were identical.

"The nurse had it?" Gaara asked, picking up both to examine them, then immediately put them down at the painful shock of Shukaku's still lingering presence on both.

"The nurse had it, but she claimed it was a tea especially concocted for Maya, since apparently she always had a bad constitution, and she kept the can," he eyed it, "Because it was pretty."

"Were you able to find out who made the tea then? And how this was kept from us?"

"The how is the easy part. Remember the emergency meeting that we went to near the end of the pregnancy? By the time we had gotten back, Taran was already born. So all they had to do was give her that tea for that amount of time only, and we would be none the wiser. If they were really smart, they would have instructed her to give only a certain amount a day. Which could be why we had no idea about the sealing until now. And it could be why there wasn't a death to finish the sealing... or not until a few months ago when Maya's heart gave out on her."

"But how would the bijuu be kept quiet until now?"

"That's why I took the liberty of grabbing Granny Chiyo's sealing notes." Kankuro slammed a packet of papers onto the desk, "It seems that there's a way to seal one bijuu into two different people, provided they have some genetic connection, like twins... or parents. Shukaku wasn't complete, so he couldn't do anything, but when Maya died..."

"He formed in Taran," the Kazekage picked up the papers and looked through them, "So who made the tea?"

"You're _really_ not going to like this," Kankuro said, then took a deep breath, "The Moon's Eye company. Which started..." he took out a notepad, "Thirteen years ago. Two months after the war ended in fact."

"Moon's Eye," Gaara mumbled, then looked up, "But he was killed too."

"And we destroyed the bijuu, remember?" his brother said, "I'm thinking that maybe we didn't do as good a job as we thought." he looked around, "Hey, how come it's so quiet today?"

"The children are going on a survival training thing in the moun..." Gaara's voice trailed off as he found the paper that contained the notes on the sealing process, "You don't think that Hitori..."

Kankuro stared at him for a moment before his eyes widened, "Konoha was attacked the night she was born. And if they were going around making new jinchuuriki..."

"I can't think of a more obvious target. This took some very intricate planning, so why leave the daughter of the one who finished him in the first place. This is an act of revenge," Gaara stood, "I'm going to call a meeting of the Kages."

"Hey, the kids... you don't think that the trip could be some sort of trap?" the puppet-master's gaze dropped to the containers on the desk, "All of this is making me kinda paranoid."

"It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you," the red headed said quietly, "How long will it take you to look into it?"

"Not as long as it took me to find out about the tea," the puppet master promised, "Can I have permission to knock a few heads around if I have to?"

Gaara nodded, "Hurry up though, they left an hour ago."


	4. Chapter 4

_Children of Sorrowful Fate_

_**Chapter 3**_

_**AN: **__No, I don't own Naruto. Hitori and Taran are mine. Happy?_

* * *

Hitori winced as she tried to stand, "No good," she sighed to Taran, "And we were making such great time too."

He pulled the leg of her pants up to get a better look at her ankle, "I told you not to try and get those berries," he said, poking the bruised flesh.

She yelped, "Well why didn't you cushion my fall or something?" crossing her arms she glared at him, "You did it before!"

"You won't learn if I do it every time," he took out the medical kit and started to wrap the ankle, "You think you can make it to the next checkpoint?" He looked up at the berries on the crag above them, "We have plenty of food anyways, why on earth did you want to get those?"

She stuck out her tongue, "Because we didn't get anything that would go bad that's why. And I thought that maybe you would like them." He helped her stand up, and she glanced up at the sky, "Y'know it's getting kinda late."

Taran nodded, knowing that she was trying to keep how much pain she was in, but at the same time, looking for a way to simply rest so that she wouldn't be a burden on him. "It would be a good idea to go ahead and make camp and hope that the swelling goes down."

She grinned, "Forgive me for trying to do something stupid?"

"Only if you actually learn from it."

Chi swooped down then, with a sprig of berries in his beak. Both children stared at him for a moment and then at each other and started laughing.

* * *

Setting up camp was a bit more difficult than either of them realized, especially with Hitori injured. It took Taran a good while to build the campfire, but luckily the food they had wasn't as hard to cook.

"I suppose we're lucky that Uncle Neji has taken us camping before," Hitori mused as she huddled in her blanket, "I wonder how some of the other kids are doing."

"Badly. The terrain is harsh, we barely know any actual survival skills, even with the subject being taught last week. This is a bad idea," Taran poked the fire with a stick and watched the sparks.

"But we're training to be shinobi!" she pointed out, "We'll have to do this eventually."

"And where have the chunnin that are supposed to be checking on us been? This is just simply too risky, no wonder Father didn't like this."

The two watched the fire in silence for a time after that. Suddenly Taran stood, and Chi flapped his feathers wildly.

Hitori looked at them both, "Wha..."

He covered her mouth, and picked her up, jumping away from their campsite, and well into the mountains, using the sand he summoned as footholds.

Motioning her to keep still, he put her down and flattened himself against the rock face and looked down. She did the same after staring at him for a moment.

Where their fire was were several dark shadows, seeming to look through the blankets and tent. Hitori turned to Taran and he shook his head and picked her up again. "We have to get away from here," he whispered, "None of them are Sand nin."

Her eyes widened and a flurry of questions flooded her brain, but she kept them down.

A loud squawk sounded below them, and she looked to see Chi fluttering in the faces of the enemy, whoever they were, Taran used the distraction to move even further away, and she cursed at herself for hurting her ankle earlier and slowing him down.

A long time, seemingly _hours _later he stopped at a small cavern further up the mountain. He placed her down and sat beside her, panting in exhaustion, "I should have brought something to carry the sand in. There's not much up here."

She nodded, "Do you think Chi's alright?"

"I think he went flying back to Suna after he got those guys away from us. I'm more worried about the rest of the class," he narrowed his eyes, "Those guys were powerful."

Her eyes widened, "You could tell?" at his slight nod, she chewed her lip, "But why are they after all of us.... we're just kids and the wars are all over."

"What better way to start one than by kidnapping a bunch of kids. I bet that Kuno was even in on it. And then..." his voice trailed off, _It couldn't be the other... how would they know anyways?_

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. It's not important," he stared out of the cave mouth, "You get some rest. Tomorrow we'll try and see if we can get past them and make sure everyone's alright."

* * *

"Exactly what do you mean by 'you don't know for sure'?" Neji narrowed his eyes at the man in front of them who was supposed to be a respectable teacher. "You're the one who made the map and lesson plans are you not?"

Kankuro whistled as he watched Neji interrogate Kuno. The poor man was already in tears and the Hyuga hadn't even gotten started yet.

"They made out the map and got the council's approval. All I had to do was make sure the right children were on it!" Kuno cried, "They wanted the middle class for some reason! I don't know who they're after!"

Neji clenched his fists and silently counted to ten, "Who paid you to do this then?"

Kuno shook, "He'll kill me..."

"I'll kill you if you don't say exactly _who_ put those children in danger," he grabbed the collar of the man's shirt and started to lift him up.

A hand stopped him, "Kankuro take Kuno to the Anbu. Tell them exactly what has been going on," Gaara said, Neji turned to him, eyes widening on Chi on the Kazekage's shoulder.

"You and I are going into the mountains ourselves," the quiet voice calmed the Hyuga's rage, "I'll need your eyes to help me find them."

* * *

Taran poked Hitori, "Hey wake up," he whispered, "It's not morning yet, but I think we need to get moving before then."

She rubbed her eyes and tried to stand, forgetting about her ankle. She yelped and almost collapsed, but Taran grabbed her.

"Don't try to stand on it again," he hissed, "I can carry you alright." She nodded and he bent down so that she could get on his back.

"Taran?" she whispered when they had left the cave, "Do you think..."

A massive shockwave interrupted her and they stared up at the cave entrance where a girl with a brown ponytail stood next to a boy with green hair held back by a barrette.

"Hey look Seven," the girl said, "I think that's One."

"Oi! You! Put that girl down and join us!" the boy shouted, "Doncha know we came to fetch you!"

Taran narrowed his eyes, "Not on your life!" he shouted back before jumping away.

Seven turned to the girl and pouted, "But Two... I thought he would be happy to come with us."

She crossed her arms, "Father waited too long," she said sadly, "Don't worry, Five will get him. And then we'll only have Nine to find after that."

Seven smiled, and jumped after Hitori and Taran, "Well, let's go help Five then!"

Taran ran, grateful that he had jumped to a place where there seemed to be more sand. It was coming easier to summon it now.

"Why did they call you One?" Hitori wondered out loud.

"I don't know." Taran chewed his lip, "They got me mistaken with someone else."

"I highly doubt it!" now a boy covered in armor appeared in front of them, "You're our brother One. Father sent us to retrieve you."

"See!" Two and Seven landed behind them, "I knew it!"

"He had a normal life up til now," a boy with sandy hair and a scar running down his cheek stepped out of the shadows to their left, next to a boy with fiery red hair pulled in a high ponytail, "Five, what happened to the other children on the mountain?"

"Father has them Three. And don't think you can boss us because of who your old host was!" A dark skinned boy sat down on the other side of Hitori and Taran.

"Taran," Hitori said quietly.

"I know," he narrowed his eyes, "Who are you guys?"

"We're the Bijuu Kids," a boy with dark brown hair said quietly as he sat down and blew bubbles in a pipe, "Father made us, but there are two missing. And you're One." he chuckled at his bad joke.

Hitori's puffed out her cheeks, "His name is Taran!" she shouted, "And you're not taking him anywhere!"

"And what exactly are you going to do about it little Uzumaki?" a dark voice said as a shadowy figure jumped down.

"Father!" Two said happily, "One doesn't seem to want to go with us."

"It won't be a problem. Now Five, what did you do with all the extra children here?"

"Eight and I took care of them," Five said quietly, "There will be some sorrow in Suna tonight I think."

Hitori's eyes widened, "What do you mean by that?" she said, "HEY! WHAT DID YOU MEAN?!"

"Calm down," Taran whispered, _Blood. That's what that scent was... _He looked at the seven children surrounding him and Hitori and then at the shadowy figure that seemed to command them, "You can't hurt her," he said quietly.

"Taran... don't," but he put her down, and bent close to her, whispering a last command in her ear. She stared at him for a moment and then nodded, tears forming in her eyes.

"Let's go home children," the man known as Father said, and Two and Seven grabbed Taran, and they all disappeared, leaving Hitori alone on the mountain.

It was only a few moments, but it seemed like an eternity to her as she watched the sunrise, hoping that Taran hadn't really gone away.

Chi cawed and she turned to see Neji and Gaara running towards her. "Hitori!" Neji picked her up in his arms, "What happened? Where's Taran?"

She sniffed and the tears that she had been holding back came flooding out, "They took him! He made them promise not to hurt me and they took him!" she turned to Gaara, "But he told me to tell you something weird." she chewed her lip, "He said to look for the Sound."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

**_AN: _**_Kishimoto's characters belong to him, Hitori and Taran are mine. Did I forget anything?_

**_Chapter Four_**

They led him down a dark tunnel, and Taran strained his senses to find any signs of his whereabouts, but the place was far too blank. He knew that he was somewhere between the border of Wind and Fire countries, but as for exact locations he couldn't be sure.

On the journey, Two and Seven stayed close to him, trying to become friends. He surmised that it was because of the seven, those two were closest to his age, Five and Eight being the eldest two. _They're all ranging in age from twelve to eight, _he looked to the shadowy figure leading them, _I can never catch a glimpse of his face... but that has to be the one Father told me about. _They stopped and the shadowy figure led most of the jinchuuriki to another area, leaving Taran behind with Seven and Two.

"Who's this?" a black haired boy, about the same age as Taran, appeared to his left.

"Lord Kurai!" Seven grinned, "This is One!"

Kurai snorted and his obsidian eyes gazed briefly at Taran, "You look weak."

"So do you," Taran said holding the boy's gaze with his emerald orbs. He ignored the gasps from Two and Seven. "And my name isn't One. It's Sabaku no Taran."

"If my father says you're One, then that's your name," Kurai smirked, then glared at the other two, "I thought you idiots were going to get Nine as well."

"Father said Nine wasn't ready yet. We couldn't even feel her," Two argued.

"He promised Nine as my partner! How could she not be ready yet?" the dark haired boy turned in a huff and walked down the hallway.

Taran stared after him, _He's in charge of the others... why?_ He had no time to wonder further on it as the green haired Seven took his arm, "We've been told to take you to Mother so that she can check you out," the boy paused a moment to adjust the barrette in his hair, "We pair off for missions from father, all except for Six." He grinned, "But now you're here, so you can be Six's partner!" he ignored the stare of complete disgust and continued, "Kurai is Father's real son, and ever since we were born we've been told that the only one who gets to be his partner is Nine."

Two smiled at Taran, "Nine is supposed to be the strongest of us." she pointed towards the hall Kurai went down, "And there's no way anyone else could even be worthy of him."

"What are you kids yakking about?" a woman in a lab coat with dark hair in a loose bun and glasses perched over her nose opened the door they were standing in front of. Taran narrowed his eyes, he was certain that it wasn't there before.

"Mother!" Seven said happily, "We're back!"

* * *

Hitori hugged her knees as she watched the going-ons in the Kazekage's office from her spot underneath his desk. Almost as soon as they had returned Gaara had sent Neji, Kankuro, and Baki on a mission to find the old laboratories of someone named Orochimaru.

She had sent Chi with her uncle, since she wasn't allowed to go. _But he's my friend! I want to be there when they find him! _Instead she found herself in the old hiding spot she and Taran had made up ages ago when they were running from Maya for whichever reason.

_Baths and brushing teeth and medicine seem so stupid to run from now, _she thought glumly, _And everyone's giving Uncle Gaara such a hard time now._

He was attempting to keep the aftermath of the survival trip as small a disaster as possible, but most of the children were scarred for life... and there were many that didn't even make it home at all. Hitori almost gave her position away when Junro's father had come in and resigned his family from Suna's shinobi's ranks and asked for a move to another village in the Land of Wind.

Gaara had granted it, and after the man left he looked down at Hitori's tear streaked face, "It's going to get harder as the day goes on. Do you want me to take you home?"

She had shook her head and curled up in the blanket he had given her, _There's no point in going home until Taran gets back. _

After the fifth family had requested the same thing, she had looked up at Gaara, "Why did they hurt so many to get him?" she asked quietly.

He didn't answer, and she suddenly realized that he _didn't _have an answer for her. The door opened and another shinobi came in with damage reports and then another with a missive from the Daimyo.

More came in, but they had the day to day business that had to be dealt with in addition to the tragic dealings with the class trip. Hitori stared at Gaara with awe as she watched him work, stuffing his emotions away so that Suna would be able to run smoothly.

_He wanted to go get Taran too... but instead he has to keep the village going. _She chewed her lip, _Is that what it means to be the Kage? You have to always put everyone else ahead of you?_

Another shinobi came in, this one to report the status of the memorial being arranged for the students who did not make it home. An Anbu came in while he was talking and silently stayed to the side until the memorial arrangements were completed.

After the shinobi had left, Gaara turned to the Anbu, "Did you find them?"

The Anbu bowed, "Yes Lord Kazekage, the ones responsible are outside waiting on you."

"Send them in." Hitori peered under the desk to see who they were talking about, and gasped as she saw tendrils of sand creep out from the gourd next to Gaara's desk. She turned to the Kazekage who reached down and covered her head with the blanket.

"You don't need to see this," he whispered as the Anbu went to fetch whoever it was, "So don't look until I tell you to."

She nodded, and the door opened and a heavyset man, based on the sound of his steps, walked in.

"Councilman Do," Gaara folded his hands on the desk, "I have been informed that you were the one that brought Teacher Kuno the proposal for the class trip that ended in such tragedy. Have you anything to say in your defense on this matter?"

"He promised me that the children wouldn't be harmed!" he dropped to his knees, "Please Lord Kazekage! The only child that was..." his voice failed him as he stared in terror at the hardening eyes of the man in front of him, "H..he said he wanted the girl... I didn't dream that he wanted your son!"

"Or that he would bring harm to the other children?" Gaara supplied. The sand was no longer mere tendrils and it seemed to slowly fill the room, "That girl is a ward of mine. Did you not think that I would react," he paused for a moment, searching for the right words, "Badly of her disappearance?"

"But she's not native to Suna! She's a jinx! The one who set up the attack claimed that this sort of thing would only surround her... Look at what happened to Konoha when she was bo..." the sand wrapped around him, and his eyes widened in terror.

"As it was, your plan failed and no less than fifteen children were killed and one was taken," the former jinchuuriki stood, "As a result of the children's deaths I have so far lost thirty of Suna's shinobi. And that isn't including the nine chuunin that were also killed. Since you were the one who brought this plan to fruition, I hold you accountable for their deaths."

"What of you! You killed hundreds when you were a child! Who holds you accountable!" the cry was desperate, the last attempt of a condemned man for mercy.

"I do." the answer was barely more than a whisper, and at the same time it was the most powerful words Hitori had heard.

A moment later she heard the door open again and the sound of someone being dragged across the floor.

"When he wakes up, see what information you can glean from him of the one who hired him," Gaara said quietly, "I think he'll be exceptionally forthcoming with news."

The blanket lowered and Gaara gazed at her, "Is it true?" she asked quietly, "That you..."

He nodded, and she looked at him for a moment before wrapping her small arms around him, "Were you made to do it?"

"No. I killed on my own," his teal eyes darkened for a moment, "Hitori... I was a monster when I was your age. It was your father that brought me out of that black night."

She hugged him tighter, "Uncle Gaara, Daddy didn't do anything." tears came to her pale blue eyes, "Because what happened with you is happening with Taran right? So Daddy didn't save you, you did. Just like Taran is still Taran."

"Damn those Hyuga eyes you and Neji have," he smiled, "You seem to see right through everything. But you're wrong in a way. Taran and I have you and your father to thank... just because you two saw us for something more than what we are."

* * *

"Hmm..." the woman the jinchuuriki called "Mother" was looking at the data read out from Taran's tests, "Your integration rate is really high. It's more than the manufactured ones even." she gazed over at the boy, "It seems the osmosis sealing works better than the regular."

"That's pretty impressive," Seven whistled, "Mother, is One going to be compatible with Six though?"

"My name is Taran," he grumbled, "And I'm not calling her Mother. Mine died a few months ago."

"That's alright, you can call me Karin," the woman pushed up her glasses and smiled at him, "You'll have to excuse the other children, they get excited when Lord Ma..."

"Karin you speak too much," another woman appeared, this one with lighter red hair... almost pink, "The Lord doesn't want his name uttered, remember." she looked at the new child. A glimmer of recognition sparked in her green eyes, but it was soon gone, replaced by a cold vacant stare, "I was told you were getting Nine for Kurai, not this brat." she turned to Seven and Two, "What have you to say?"

"Nine wasn't ready!" Seven exclaimed, "We just told Lord Kurai that!"

Two said nothing, just edged a bit closer to Karin, "Get out of my lab," Karin said coolly, "Just because you're Kurai's mother doesn't mean you can boss _me_ around. I still remember what your conniving little bitch mind is responsible for." she glared at the other woman, "And don't think you can treat my children like this either. The Lord will eat your heart for messing with his plans."

Kurai's mother huffed and stormed out of the laboratory.

Taran had watched the whole scenario with narrowed eyes, _Something about her... I've known I've seen her before but where?_


	6. Chapter 6

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

**_AN: _**_No I don't own Naruto or it's characters. Hitori and Taran are mine._

_**Chapter Five**_

_She's a jinx! _Every time she had tried to close her eyes, those words that she hadn't paid attention to earlier came crashing back to her. So Hitori snuck out of the lonely room and quietly hobbled to the tower until she came to the practice dummies in the small courtyard.

"I'm not a jinx," she murmured quietly relaxing herself into the stance that Neji had been teaching her since she was old enough to walk.

_"Why don't we live in Konoha with the rest of our family?" she had asked once. _

_Neji's face darkened and he was quiet for a long moment, "Because it's difficult for me to accept something that they had done," he lightly touched her forehead, and she realized that he was tracing the strange mark on her forehead, then he smiled, "Though now it's because it's so very difficult to separate you and Taran."_

She struck the dummy and winced, the chakra was always difficult to summon, but tonight it was outright painful and she wondered briefly if those crosses on the backs of her hands were the blame. It was bad enough that her ankle still throbbed at her and a guilty look passed over her face, she had promised to stay off it as much as possible.

_But Uncle Neji said to practice everyday. And it's not like it's still sprained, Uncle Gaara had one of the medic nin heal it. And she had said that it was going to hurt for a little while._

She frowned, _Uncle Neji says that the curse makes it hard to summon chakra. It's hurting me because I'm worried about everyone, _she nodded, that had to be it.

A sudden idea struck her and she formed a hand seal that Neji had told her _not _to use, not until she had mastered her chakra control at the very least.

"Byakuguan!" she said and the world suddenly became very much bigger and brighter...

...But only for a second... Then there was an inky blackness that surrounded her and she felt herself falling forward, a small scream ejected because of the sharp pain... pain that did not go away, even when she fell into the darkness. It was only after she had gone completely unconscious that it ended.

* * *

He stared at the golden eyes hiding in the shadows.

A moment passed, then another...

"DAMN! Don't you ever actually _say_ anything!" the eyes moved forward to reveal the sand demon Shukaku, "You're just like that bitch that had me la..." he looked closer at Taran, "You look like him too..."

Taran refused to smirk as he saw the tanuki's wheels spin slowly.

"Hey brat! How long has it been since I was contained in Sabaku no Gaara?"

"Fourteen years," the auburn haired boy said quietly.

"And what's your relation to him?" the eyes came closer now, staring closely at his emerald orbs for any sign of weakness.

"_Don't give him the satisfaction." his father had warned him, "Anything... and I do mean _anything _he can find to get you to bend to his will and he'll use it." _

"He is my father," Taran answered simply, hiding all emotion from his voice.

"Hn." the demon looked around him, "We're not in Suna, so what's going on. Why'd you call me out anyways?"

"We're in some sort of experiment lab," the boy closed his eyes, "And as for why I called you out, I might need your help to get back to home." This was the furthest he had gotten with the meditation technique Gaara had taught him, before he had simply used it to recover energy. He had taken the warnings the Kazekage had given him to heart, so he felt no need to acknowledge the demon's presence before.

But recent events... the Nine they were all talking about...

Gaara had told his son who the kyubbi's container was, so following logic, the most likely new jinchuuriki for that beast was the small girl with the dark pixie hair and the pale blue eyes.

"Oh ho, who's _this?_" the demon growled and too late did Taran realize that he hadn't erected any sort of barrier to his thoughts and memories... and the demon had gone through all of them.

"No!" he threw small hands up to stop the beast from finding out about Hitori.

Which was being held in the palm of Shukaku's hand as the demon studied her. With a gasp, Taran realized that it was an image summoned instead of the girl herself.

"Hmm... kinda scrawny looking, and she's a trouble maker isn't she?" he stared closer, "This is the blonde idiot's daughter? Not much there." a feral grin crept across the tanuki's face, "Now didn't your daddy tell you it was next to impossible to keep anything from me? Unlike other bijuu I _remember _everything."

Emerald eyes glared in defiance, "She's off limits. Besides that's not the problem right now."

A sandy claw waved at him, "Those other jinchuuriki right? They can wait until morning, but since I have you here and talking to me..." the golden eyes seemed to grow bigger, "I have many things to show you. You should be honored, you're only the second of my containers I decided to cooperate with... or will provided you survive my test."

At that a rush of images and sounds came crashing into Taran's brain, he covered his head as it all became part of him...

Even though all of them were memories not belonging to him... some of people long dead, some of his father... but all from previous containers of Shukaku.

_Hours _later he would open his eyes, but he was no longer simply Taran. He finally understood the last of his father's cryptic warnings.

"_There's no way to master Shukaku without losing yourself in the process. But if you're strong... you'll be able to hang on to that last thread that makes up who you are. And that's the absolute best you can hope for. _

_He'll devour you whole if you fail."_

Emerald eyes now far too old for the boy's tender year of seven scanned the room. He gave a small sound of surprise when he saw a rather large gourd propped up against the desk across from him.

"Surprise!" Seven said happily, "Two and I decided to give you a present so that you would be a bit more welcome here!" he was holding the girl's arm and grinning happily.

She blushed a bit, "We had heard that the previous container of One had a gourd of sand, so we thought... since you're going to be working with us, why not make it easier on you."

_**Idiots. **_

_We're not going to hurt these two. Something about them, _he quietly watched Seven poke and tease Two, _If circumstances were different, Hitori would have been friends with them._

* * *

She slowly opened her eyes, groaning at the bright light. _What happened?_

"I thought Neji had told you not to use that technique," Gaara's quiet voice said. She painfully sat up and looked at him. He had apparently set up a temporary office in the hospital, and she chewed her lip.

"I was having a hard time summoning chakra," she said in a small voice.

"So you attempted to remedy it by using something that takes exceptional control to keep up," he signed a paper and placed it aside before moving on to the next, "You're too much like your father."

"No it wasn't like that," she laid back down, "I was trying to see my own chakra lines. I think something's blocking me. I mean besides the stupid curse."

"When your Uncle comes back he'll take a look then."

She sat back up, "Has there been any news?"

"They had found the first ten of his laboratories, but there was nothing there. You had just missed Chi in fact."

"How many more labs are there?"

Gaara took a long moment, to answer, but he finally stared at her with his teal eyes, "We're not entirely sure on that matter."

* * *

It was a long morning, and Taran had discovered two interesting things.

One was that Seven and Two were avoided by the other jinchuuriki. He wasn't sure if it was because they were the youngest or that they were the only ones who still spoke with Karin, even preferring her presence to that of the "Father."

Or it might have had something to deal with his _other_ discovery. Seven wasn't a boy, something he had discovered entirely by accident when he had followed her to the bathroom.

That made a bit of sense, though to Taran, whose only friend in the world was a girl it was idiotic, that the male jinchuuriki avoided contact with the two female ones.

"Kurai speaks to us though," Seven smiled, "And now you do, so I don't mind." Two nodded her agreement.

"I don't plan on staying here though," Taran warned, "You two could come with me." He had ignored Shukaku's protests and had been entirely honest with them about his plans of escape.

Two shook her head, "Father would kill us and just build us up again from the remnants of our bodies."

"Not if I destroy this place."

"Mother would be hurt then," Seven pointed out, "So we're going to have to stop you."

"You two like being used?"

The two shrugged, "He doesn't hurt us," Two said quietly, "And Kurai's going to be the ruler of the world. It makes sense to be on the winning team."

Taran crossed his arms, "I'll just leave without you then."

"But what about that girl, you came with us so that she wouldn't get hurt." Seven pointed out, "You're going back on your word?"

"I have ample evidence that your Father won't touch her," he smirked.

Seven and Two exchanged a look, then stared back at him, "Hey. What do you know about her?" Two asked, hands on her hips, "There's something you're not telling us."

Taran shrugged and picked up the gourd of sand, walking towards the laboratory doors.

Karin had come in then and stopped as she saw Taran, "He'll just follow you to find the girl," she said as she looked through her lab reports.

"He already knows who she is," he opened the door.

"Do you really think she'll be safe then?" Karin's words followed him, "Or us for that matter. We're letting you go you realize."

He stopped. _**Ignore her brat! Go now!**_

"There have been reports from some of the old labs. There are people looking for you," Karin smirked, "Our Lord has already sent the other kids out to protect some of the more important areas. So if you want to go, we're the only ones here who can stop you. But what do you think is really going to happen to the girl slated to be Nine. Capturing her will be all too easy. And the kyubbi isn't like the other bijuu... if that gets woken up in her she'll be destroyed."

"Hitori's too strong for that," he said, before he let the sand surround him and take him away.

"Wait!" Seven started forward, but her eyes grew heavy and she fell down, with Two collapsing beside her.

Karin smiled, "I'll take full responsibility kids. The one I've been following has been dead for years now." she bent down and took the syringes from their necks, and turned to the door in the back of the lab. She reached up and undid her hair, "Now there's just one thing left to do."


	7. Chapter 7

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

**_AN:_**_ Lalala... Naruto isn't mine, Hitori and Taran are._

_**Chapter Six**_

The woman tilted the mirror and brushed the pink wisps of hair away from her face. She heard a slight bit of commotion from the laboratory in the next room and pursed her lips, "Noisy brats. I don't know why you speak with them Kurai."

The dark haired boy sat quietly in his chair, watching his mother fix her hair with sullen obsidian eyes. Suddenly he felt a prick in his neck and the eyelids fell and he slumped down.

"Kurai! I'm speaking to yo..." the woman fell unconscious and Karin lifted her up and tied her tightly to a chair. Looking at the boy, she smiled softly and gently lifted him, carrying him out to where she had placed Seven and Two outside of the labs.

"You kids be careful," she said quietly, "And don't believe anything that man tells you." she closed her eyes, "I'm sorry... if I had done this sooner, then maybe you wouldn't have had to suffer. Maybe the older ones wouldn't be so lost." She pushed her glasses up over resolute eyes and turned back into the laboratory, "Goodbye."

* * *

There was a grating sound, and the smell of chemicals being spilled. Green eyes slowly opened to find herself in the lab... or rather what was left of it.

Karin was smashing the last of the test tubes when she finally cried out, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Something I should have done a long time ago," Karin said as she brought a monitor crashing down, "I'm destroying this."

"Why?!"

"You should realize... or you should. To think that Sasuke had once talked so highly of you," pushing up her glasses again she turned to the other woman, "You had no intention of stopping him that day! All you did was fall deeper into Madara's plan!"

"Like you stopped his petty revenge," she hissed.

"No I didn't. In fact I helped make it possible." she turned to the other woman, "Why _did_ you bring me back Sakura?"

"He asked me to."

Karin smiled, "I wish I could say that it was his last human request, but he was already gone then. He knew I was the only one left besides Kabuto who knew how to use this equipment." she gazed wistfully around the remnants of the destroyed lab.

Sakura's eyes widened as she got a wiff of something more than the chemicals, "Karin... what is that smell?"

"Gas," she folded back her pouch and pulled out a pack of matches, "This lab is completely isolated from the outside... Orochimaru arranged it that way so that any accidents stayed contained. One of the reasons he had so many hideouts as well... there was no telling which one was going to end up in failure."

"Karin... what are you doing..."

"I couldn't stand up to him... he took Sasuke's body after all. But the more I thought about it, the more wrong this all was," she opened it up and took a single match out, "But still... I didn't want to hurt the kids. I don't really care for whatever plans he has for them, I really grew attached to them... even to your bratty boy."

"Where is he?" frantically she struggled against the ropes, trying to use her strength to break them.

"He's outside with the two girls. They won't get hurt in this. But you and I... it's time we met Sasuke and told him how we carried on his memory, though I don't think he's going to be happy with either of us."

She struck the match and it flashed to life. Sakura barely had time to scream before the everything brightened before her eyes in cataclysmic hues of death.

* * *

The sand fell away from him and Taran gasped as he fell to his hands and knees, _That took more out of me than I realized it would._

Strong hands lifted him up and he looked up to see concerned blue eyes looking down at him from behind a wrapped face, "Hey are you okay?"

Taran's eyes widened, "Y...you're..." the world darkened, _No! I can't be falling asleep! _as his body shut down he tried to set up some sort of barrier to keep the bijuu at bay.

_**Stop panicking brat. You used up all the reserves.**_

The thought didn't reassure him, and he somehow managed to stay conscious, but only barely, not quite asleep, but not well aware of his surroundings, a surreal sense of limbo. It wasn't until he heard a familiar squawk that he turned his head, letting his mind take in his surroundings again.

He was surprised to find himself being carried on Neji's back, "Ho..."

"Chi had somehow found you." came the quiet answer, "We're taking you home now."

"Did you see him?" Taran asked, "The guy that was with me... did you see him?"

"No one was with you kid," Kankuro said, giving him an odd look. "We found you barely hanging on. What did you do anyways?"

_Nothing Uncle... just tried to travel all the way home in a bubble of sand... I don't think that will work out well for me if I said that. _

He wondered which was stranger, that the tanuki hadn't answered him or that he had come to listen for the remarks.

* * *

Hitori hadn't wanted to let him go, even after she had given him a welcome home hug she kept hold of his hand for as long as Taran would let her, which after recent events was a very long time.

She was still holding it when Neji examined her chakra lines with his byakugaun, "It's something even I can't see," he finally said after a long moment, "I'll send a message to the Hyuga medics, and see if they have ever heard of the byakugaun reacting like that, but until I hear back from them, stick to taijutsu training."

She glumly nodded and followed Taran to his father's office, where he was to make a report of the events that had transpired.

Slowly... very slowly... life returned to what it had been. Excepting for school being cancelled for the time being in mourning for the lost children, life in Suna moved on as if the event hadn't occurred, a response that Gaara had decided on long ago in case any such emergency would arise.

However, very soon the way of life that Hitori and Taran had grown accustomed to would end.

* * *

Temari smiled a bit sadly as she walked back into the gates of Suna, having not been in her birthplace since the tragedy of Konoha, and before that it was well before her marriage to Shikamaru. She quietly greeted the shinobi at the gate and made a beeline straight to the tower.

Kankuro looked at her in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

She bowed her head, "I have a note for Neji, recalling him from his diplomatic position here. In return, I'm to come back home."

Her brother stared at her, "But you're married! Wouldn't he miss you?"

"There's a lot more to it than that," she narrowed her eyes, "Shikamaru found out about the attack. And as Hokage he has a responsibility to..."

"So you're finally here," Gaara's voice said as he came into the hall with his siblings, "That means that he agrees with my assessment of the situation."

"Have you told Neji about this? Or Hitori and Taran?" the middle sibling asked, "She's not going to want to leave and then what if Taran..."

"The Kage Summit will not let both of those children stay in one nation... not when the other seven are still unaccounted for," the Kazekage clenched his fists, in truth he didn't like this at all, "There's the matter of the balance to think of."

* * *

The farewell was short and heartfelt. "I'll write everyday and send Chi with the letters," Hitori promised hugging the neck of her friend tightly.

He nodded, not knowing whether or not the tears falling were hers or his, then pulled her away gently and stared at her, "You have to become a shinobi. I'll meet you at the chunnin exams."

"But that's really..." she started, then a slow smile came to her face, "Yeah... you have to become a shinobi too then."

"Hitori," Neji said gently, "It's time we headed out."

She reluctantly walked away from her best friend in the whole world, Chi slowly flying after her.

Taran and Gaara watched them go, and when they had gone a few meters away, "Wait!" the boy cried out, "Hitori! I forgot to tell you!"

She turned back to him, tears softly flowing from her pale blue eyes.

"I saw him! He's still alive!"

The tears stopped flowing, "Are you sure?" she called back.

"It was him!" Taran waved happily, "And when we're bigger we'll go find him again!"

"It's a promise!" she yelled back, "Don't you dare forget!" she grinned and waved back, and then took her uncle's hand as the two headed to her birthplace... to Konoha.

_**End of Book One**_


	8. Interlude

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

_**AN:**__Naruto and the characters from that series, not mine. Hitori and Taran, mine._

_**Interlude**_

_Taran,_

_We arrived in Konoha yesterday and I think it's just plain too wet. I mean it's nice seeing a lot of trees and plants and stuff, but ugh, there's a funny smell here. Uncle Neji says that it's rain, but it still smells kinda funny to me. Nice though, but it smells a lot different from the rain in the desert._

_Aside from it being wet, there's a lot of interesting people here. I had no idea Daddy had so many friends and they all seemed happy to see me and Uncle Neji. Though it was really funny to see his old teammates because there was a boy (Lian) with them that was a year younger than me._

_The look on Uncle's Neji face was PRICELESS. I never seen him look like that! And then Uncle Lee started talking about the blossoming of love or something like that and Uncle Neji turned a really interesting shade of green. _

_I swear! Auntie Tenten was hiding her face in her hands too, and SHE was a really neat shade of red._

_I started school today (writing during lunch break, so stop giving me that look!) and so far I've met a couple of neat people. You would probably like some of them, there's this boy Shiro who talks to bugs! It's really cool! I sit next to him in class and he's super smart, though no where near as super smart as you are. And there was this other boy named Chozo that eats a super lot, but he was really neat and gave me some of his dad's cooking. And if I can get Chi to carry bento boxes I'll send you some of it._

_Though there was this really mean girl, Megami that picks on them. I got into some trouble because she was starting in on Chozo, calling him fat and stuff, which was really mean, especially when he isn't, and he started to cry._

_So I punched her in the nose. _

_I had to go to Iruka's office for that, and then Uncle Neji got called. And here's the absolutely WORST thing. Megami's my cousin, she's Aunt Hanabi's daughter and she's in Lian's class. And I'm willing to bet anything that she tortures him too. _

_Iruka was really nice to me though. I think he was really close with Daddy too, but he didn't say. And oddly enough, I didn't get in that much trouble with Uncle Neji. But I think I know why we were in Suna if all the Hyuga are like Megami._

_Speaking of the Hyuga, one looked at my chakra lines yesterday and told Uncle Neji that nothing was blocking them, I just had to really, really work on control because the seal I have is super strong and keeps all my chakra in. _

_So he has me on a series of training exercises that all seem really stupid, but Uncle Neji says it'll help me become a really strong shinobi, so I'll suffer through it._

_I really miss you Taran. Can't Uncle Gaara let you come visit or something?_

_Lots of Love,_

_Hitori_

* * *

"Alright Hitori," Iruka looked over the preteen girl that had her messy black and orange hair tied back in a ponytail and a crow perched on her shoulder, "You passed the written and combat part of the exam, now all that is left is the jutsu portion."

She grinned, "Hit me with your best shot!"

"Demonstrate a bunshin." he folded his hands.

She smiled, and putting her hands in the familiar seal, created about five perfect copies. "How was that?"

Iruka smiled, and reached into his pouch, "I've been saving this for a long time," he said quietly, as he placed the headband on his table, "Your dad left this with me after you were born."

The girl gently picked it up, "This was Daddy's?" at the slight nod in confirmation, tears came to her eyes and she embraced him, "Thank you so much!"

"Keep up the good work," he smiled gently, "He would have been very proud of you."

She nodded and left the room, running back to the class.

"Hitori!" a heavy set boy of twelve called her as she came back into the classroom, "Did you pass?"

Hitori grinned and held up her headband, "Was there any doubt Chozo?" she said happily, "Now we have to wait on Shiro to get his." she plopped down in her chair and her crow flew to her shoulder, she got out a scroll and began writing, "Taran's going to be so happy to hear I passed!"

"It would be nice if he actually visited sometime," Chozo took out a bag of chips, "All we ever hear about him is how great he is. Wouldn't it be great if he came to the graduation party tonight?"

"He can't," she sighed, "Uncle Gaara has had him on some sort of training mission for a long while now. No one in Suna even knows exactly where he is, just somewhere in the desert." she thumped her crow's beak, "I have no idea how Chi finds him though."

Her heavyset friend shrugged and munched on his chip, "Hey, why'd you do that to your hair?"

She grinned, "Iruka said that Daddy always wore orange, so I figured it was a lucky color. But I didn't like any of the clothes that were orange, so I just streaked my hair. I was worried Uncle Neji would have a fit, but he seemed really calm about the whole thing." she turned her attention to her scroll, "I forgot to tell Taran about that too!"

* * *

"Alright, on squad seven," Iruka paused a moment, "The jonin instructor is Sarutobi Konohamaru, and the members are Abrurame Shiro, Akimichi Chozo, and Uzumaki Hitori." he smiled at his students, "Alright, that's it. Your jonin will come and pick you up after lunch."

Hitori smiled happily and finished tying the scroll she had been working on to Chi's leg. "Don't get caught by anyone," she warned, "You can't be getting Taran into trouble."

He squawked in response and then flew away.

* * *

_Hitori, _

_You really need to not send Chi anymore now that you're a gennin. You might actually need him on your missions. Though you're right, he has been the only one who's been able to find me in this place._

_And I passed the test last year, so I really don't need any encouragement, though thank you for the offer. _

_Orange? You streaked your hair with orange? What in the name of all that is holy possessed you to do that? Yes I understand that it was the color your father wore, and based on the memories Shukaku showed me... he didn't really look all that great in it._

_Though I suppose orange streaks look better than an orange jumpsuit. Please tell me your taste in clothing is better than your parents. In fact, let your Uncle Neji pick out what you wear. _

_Not much is happening on my end. When I get back to Suna I'll be joining my team for the first time. Students of Uncle Kankuro, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were puppets themselves. _

_The mission I've been on has been pretty uneventful as well, but I have enjoyed the solitude. I've heard that the chuunin exams are going to be held in Konoha in a year from Aunt Temari, so I hope that your team is ready to take them by then. _

_Until then, be safe. And for once, actually listen to your instructors. Stick your tongue back in, it doesn't look right on a girl. Same with crossing your eyes, stop that. _

_Taran_


	9. Book 2 Chapter 1

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Welcome one and all to the second part of CoSF! As always, Naruto and the characters therein are not mine; however, all of the second generation here are. Well, except for Asuma's kid, but she's really more of an educated guess right now, since the baby's not even born yet in the manga. And I hinted at this, but this part starts when the kiddies are all thirteen, excepting for Lian, Megami, and Jin, who are twelve and Kiyomi and Kiyoshi, who are fourteen. _

_**Book 2, Chapter 1**_

She landed in front of the gates of Konoha, a hand rising up to brush a strand of black hair back behind her ear to join the rest of her black and orange tresses that were gathered in a messy ponytail. As the crow landed on her shoulder she turned and grinned, "We're home!"

A heavy set preteen landed next to her, then reached into his pack to pull out a bag of chips. Next to him landed a boy covered in a hooded jacket who had dark glasses on his face.

Hitori peered into the woods behind them, "Hey! Konohamaru-sensei! We're going to leave you behind again!"

"Really Uzumaki?" the jonin at her back said, "Are you always so impatient."

She jumped, and then glared at the older man, "You're the one who wanted to hurry home!" a mischievous glint suddenly came to her pale blue eyes, "Wasn't there someone you were supposed to be meeting?" Chozo snickered and Shiro seemed to have sighed in exasperation, this wasn't the first time the gennin and jonin argued and teased each other.

Her teacher turned a shade of red, "That's it! I didn't become a jonin just so a sma..." he was interrupted by hand on his shoulder, turning he saw one of the anbu.

"The hokage requests that all jonin instructors come for a meeting," the cat-masked shinobi said before jumping away.

"That time huh?" Konohamaru said softly, then turned to his students, "Meet me tomorrow morning at the usual spot. Until then enjoy the rest of your day."

"You stay away from the hot springs!" Hitori teased.

"You work on that chakra control technique I taught you! All of you!" he huffed and vanished into a swirl of leaves.

"I need to go examine my beetles," Shiro said.

"Well wait," Chozo said munching on a chip, "That was a really tough mission we just completed, we should celebrate or something."

Hitori nodded, "We could go to that barbeque place your dad's always hanging out at. Shiro, you come too!"

"We just got back home," came the quiet reply, "And there are some things I need to take care of," he pushed up his glasses, "Though maybe in a couple of hours... for dinner."

Hitori and Chozo smiled at him, and then she grabbed the arms of the two boys and ran inside the village, Chi lazily flying after her.

* * *

She stretched her arms as she walked away from the small home she shared with Neji, "Y'know Chi, Shiro was right. It was really nice to take a bath right after the mission," the crow cawed in response, then turned to her quizzically as she walked along the streets as opposed to her usual jumping, "Stop giving me that look," she stuck out her tongue, "I like to walk and look at everything." she looked at her watch, "It's a bit early still to be meeting Shiro and Chozo..." she smiled, "Hey Chi let's go to the swings!"

She broke off into a run and he flew after her squawking his disapproval.

"What! You need to learn to relax some!" she grinned, turning back to look at him.

And ran right smack into someone, causing her to land on her bottom. "Ow..." she moaned and then looked up, "I'm sorry! I wasn't looking and..." her voice trailed off.

"That much was obvious," the girl with sandy blonde hair worn loose to her shoulders lifted herself off the ground and brushed off her dark clothes. She seemed to be about Hitori's age, but what made the young girl stare was the headband around the other girl's waist.

"You're from Suna?" she asked excitedly.

Dark grey eyes scanned her over, "What's it to you brat?"

"Now, now Kiyomi, let's be nice," another girl, one identical to the first said, "We're guests remember, and she did apologize," she gave Hitori a hand and helped her up, "I'm Kiyoshi and this annoying person is my twin sister Kiyomi. And yes, we are from Suna." she looked appraisingly at the girl, "Hey... who might you be?"

She grinned, "I'm..."

"Hitori?" a quiet voice interrupted her and she raised her eyes, her face lighting up as she saw the auburn haired boy... now a good bit taller than she remembered... standing behind the two girls.

"Taran!" she cried out as she ran and embraced him in a bear hug, ignoring the shocked glances that the twin Sand girls shared.

He looked at her for a moment, before smirking and gingerly touching her hair, "It's worst than I imagined."

"It is not!" she huffed, "I really like my hair like this!"

"Hn. Though I suppose you're the only one who could pull it off."

"Goodness, you must be the girl that used to live with him in Suna," Kiyoshi smiled gently, "Hey Kiyomi, that's the most he's ever talked isn't it?"

Her sister shrugged, "You remember what Kankuro-sensei said about her. She even got the Kazekage to smile, and that's something."

"Yes, poor Kazekage-sama," at this both girls sighed happily clasping their hands, earning them a brief shudder from Taran.

"I was just going to meet my teammates," Hitori said, "You guys should come too!" she looked around, "I mean if it's okay with your instructor."

"Oh she's at the Hokage tower," Kiyoshi waved her hand, "She told us to enjoy ourselves until the exams started, so she won't mind." She linked her elbow in Hitori's, pulling the girl away from Taran, "And since you're a child of the desert too... maybe you won't mind showing us around!"

* * *

"The exam will take start tomorrow, you must fill out these registration forms and make it to Classroom 3-B in the Academy by nine o'clock sharp." Konohamaru passed the papers around to his students, "As I'm sure you noticed, there are already other village's teams coming in the city now. Make sure that you give them a proper Konoha greeting. Remember, even if you choose not to take the exams, you still are a gennin of our village and should act accordingly."

"We already met the Suna team," Chozo said happily as he munched on his chips, "You should have joined us last night for dinner Sensei."

The jonin looked at Hitori who was _quietly_ going over the paperwork, "Is that why she's so subdued today?" he grinned, "Uzumaki! Didn't I tell you that I wanted to meet that boy you were always writing letters to?"

She stuck out her tongue, "Like Chozo said, you should have joined us for dinner! He invited you on his way from the Akimichi's house after all." her eyes narrowed, "He said you were going to the Hot Springs again."

"How is that any of your business!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

"How are we supposed to show off Konoha with a Ero-sensei causing more trouble than we do?!" she retorted, "And you're the Third Hokage's grandson! Shouldn't you be acting more proper!"

_"If you want the title of Hokage, you're going to have to defeat me to get it!" _He stood very still, looking at a point past Hitori, almost seeing the blonde man that had said that to him.

Wide pale blue eyes stared at a moment at her shocked jonin, "Sensei?" she asked quietly.

"You finally went too far I think," Shiro pushed up his glasses.

She chewed her lip and poked at Konohamaru, "Hey are you alright?"

He suddenly grabbed her arms, "Uzumaki... fill out your paperwork and meet me after lunch at the practice fields. I have some punishment jutsu for you to work on. You boys take it easy and rest up so that you're ready for the exams tomorrow."

* * *

She sighed as she jumped down to the practice area, _He finally comes to town and I'm stuck doing discipline training._ "Sensei?" she called out.

"Over here," he said from the stone in the middle of the grounds. She turned to see him lightly touching the memorial, then stepping away from it and facing her. "I think it's time I taught you one of your father's jutsus. It might come in handy during the exams."

* * *

"Hey, Kurai are you sure we're in the right place?" the green-haired girl looked up at the gates, and reached up to fix her red barrette.

"Of course I am 'Chouko'," the boy ran a hand through his black hair, "The chunnin exams are open to all right?"

"Correct," the girl with the dark ponytail said, then lowered her voice, "Uh... this is embarrassing..."

"Neko!" Chouko hugged her, "Don't you worry about a thing! We're going to make him real proud of us!"

"Both of you shut up," the big man in red behind them snarled, "If you ruin this, there's no return for any of you." he stomped away, not sparing them a second glance.

The two girls sighed and followed their jonin and other teammate inside the gates, passing their paperwork for visiting the village to the guards.

* * *

"Are you sure Sensei?" a boy with big eyes and dark hair in the shape of a bowl asked of the Hyuga that was his teacher.

Ko smiled, "Of course, you are all three exceptional students."

"Well I am," the Hyuga girl with long black hair drifting down her back sitting next to Lian drawled, "But these two losers are just pathetic."

"It is a great honor!" Lian continued, both ignoring Megami's remark and the sour look Ko threw at her for it.

"Aren't we a little young though?" Jin, a dark haired youth dressed in black, said from the other side of the balcony, scribbling in his notebook.

"You have completed the prerequisite number of missions, even if you passed a few months ago," Ko pointed out. He didn't mention that he had also been ordered by the current Hyuga head, Hanabi, to ensure that the heir participated or that when he had put forth their names, the Hokage was hesitant.

For some reason Neji had supported him, and he was once again grateful that the head of the branch family had returned. Though he secretly wished that the heir had gone under his care... Hitori was rumored to have learned many techniques from him, some that even Hanabi was unable to learn before Hiashi's death.

"It doesn't matter," Megami snorted, "We're one of the strongest gennin team after all." Ko didn't see the point in arguing, any mention of Hitori would have the heir in a fit, and he didn't want to hear any more complaints.

Though it didn't change the fact that it was _Konohamaru's _team, not Ko's that had the best success-failure ratio.

"I cannot wait to tell my Father!" Lian's eyes shone, "This will be a most glorious way to express our youth!"


	10. Book 2 Chapter 2

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto does not belong to me. But the children of the second generation (excepting for Asuma and Kurenei's kid, and again, educated guess on her) all came from my mind. _

_**Book Two, Chapter Two**_

"Ow," Hitori rubbed her shoulder, "Sensei really trained me hard yesterday," she complained to Chozo and Shiro as they walked to the academy.

"You shouldn't back talk him so much," the Akimichi said, "But hey, you said you learned something neat!"

She nodded vehemently, "I'll show you guys it later, but I was up all night working on it," she grinned, "It was just too cool to leave alone."

"Hopefully you won't be too tired to take the test," Shiro said quietly, "I've heard the first part is written. And you almost always fall asleep during that sort of thing."

Chi cawed his agreement as he landed on Hitori's shoulder and she glared at the crow, "You never take my side!" a friendly peck at her cheek was the response and she huffed, "Don't try and sweet talk me now! Just see if I give you any of my onigiri."

"You shouldn't be too hard on him," Chozo commented as they went inside the academy and started up the stairs, "After all, he's only worried about you." the two boys had long ago accepted Hitori's often one-sided conversations with the crow, though it was a constant source of wonder to them that Chi seemed to be more of a mother hen than a partner to her.

"She still doesn't listen then," Taran's voice greeted them as the three reached the floor the class was on. The auburn haired youth stood behind a group of gennin.

"I listen fine," Hitori retorted, "Chi's just a stick in the mud," the remark earned her a peck at her ear, "Well, you _are._" She looked around at the crowd, "Hey, why are we on the second floor?" she asked after a moment, then glanced at her paperwork, "Our class is supposed to be on the third floor isn't it?"

"We are on the third floor you moron," snorted Megami as she crossed her arms and walked towards them, followed by Jin and Lian, "Or did that seal of yours damage your eyes?"

Shiro and Chozo glanced at each other, then at Hitori, "Are you sure?" they asked in unison.

"We only went up one flight of stairs," she said, "And everything's all funny around the edges... like something is screening what's really here." Chi cawed at her, and she marched through the crowd to the boy and girl in front of the doors, "You two!" she cried, "Then I _know_ something's up," she glared at them, "Shika and Aiko! What's going on here? And why are you all fuzzy around the edges?"

"Geeze what a drag," the boy with spiked hair in a ponytail sighed, "Y'know that's the last time I do any favors for dad."

"Aww, it was fun," the red-eyed girl next to him smiled as she released her genjutsu and the hallway appeared normal and she and Shika became older. She flipped back her bouncy raven hair and smiled at Hitori, "I never could throw a successful one on you. That's Uncle Shikamaru's fault for not informing me that you were taking the test," she chuckled, "Though I suppose he was distracted since Auntie Temari finally came back to town."

"Stop talking about my parents like that," Shika sighed.

"Oh but Shika sweetie, you're going to most likely end up with a..." Aiko's mouth got covered by her companion before she could finish the sentence.

"Stop. Being Troublesome." he said then turned his attention to the gennin, "Well, since someone saw through the genjutsu, our mission's failed."

"I'm not the only one," Hitori pointed out, "Kiyomi and Kiyoshi are already on the third floor, right Taran?" he gave a slight nod, "So you knew too..." she grinned.

Aiko ruffled the younger girl's hair, "Alright go on, don't be late for your exam," she shooed the rest of the gennin, "And be on your toes, the entire test is something that'll try everything you've got!"

"One of these days you're going to have to tell me how you did that," Chozo said in awe as she rejoined her teammates.

"I don't know," she shrugged, "I suppose it has something to do with all the chakra exercises I had to do when I was younger." Chi ruffled his feathers, causing Shiro to glance up at him.

It was rather strange to see a smug expression on a crow, but he hadn't time to think on it when Hitori grabbed his hand, "Come on, we don't want to be late Shiro!" the three turned back to the stairs.

Taran noted that his friend who had seen through the genjutsu so easily simply didn't notice the dark glare directed at her from the Hyuga heir or the bemused stare coming from obsidian eyes.

* * *

_Man they really spaced us out, _Hitori thought glumly as she looked at where her teammates and Sand nin were, "I suppose they anticipated us making friends with them," she said as she played with her pencil. The only ones that were even remotely close to each other were Kiyoshi and Chozo.

"Hey that was really cool what you did upstairs," the green haired girl next to her said, "I didn't know Hyuga could see through genjutsu that well!"

"Oh that's probably more of Aiko playing small pranks on everyone since I moved here than any special abilities on my part," she tried to explain away, "She and Shika are kinda like older siblings to some of us." Really mostly just her and Chozo, but Jin and Shiro still had their share of love from Aiko at times. She always seemed to have time for the children of her parent's students.

Hitori had chalked it up to the fact that said students had always made time for Aiko.

"Yeah, but if that were true then wouldn't some of the other Konoha gennin have seen through it. Our information had you as a pretty close bunch." she leaned closer to Hitori, "Seemed like you were pretty close with the cutie from Suna too."

She wasn't sure if the indignant squawk was from her or Chi and before she could respond the proctor for the first part of the exam appeared.

"Name's Chouko," the girl winked as she whispered, "You're Hitori right? I bet we'll be real good friends."

_Why does she seem so familiar? _Hitori mutely nodded, then started to pay attention to the examiner as the chunnin helping passed out the papers for the test.

"There will be no questions asked," the scarred man in front of the room addressed the gennin, "You will be graded on a team basis. Questions one through nine count as one point for each team member. If you can make it to question ten... that one is worth seven points for each team member. To pass this portion you must have an average of seven for your team," he looked around the room, "If you are caught cheating, three points will be deducted from you, and if any one teammate goes below seven, then the entire team is disqualified. Question ten will be asked forty-five minutes from now." he looked at his watch. "Begin!"

Hitori looked down at the questions in front of her, _Well the first three are easy enough, just basic knowledge we learned at the academy... but the ones after that... _her eyes widened a bit, _are really, really hard!_

Chi pecked her ear and she looked up. Noticing that some of the students in front of her were _Cheating? But this is a te... _a slight smile came to her face, _So that's how it is then..._

A small amount of sand drifted up her sleeve and into her hand causing it to move, writing a small message on her paper, _Need any help? _

_I got this. _she wrote beneath it, _You worry about your team. _Feeling the sand drift away, she erased the words, and concentrated on the test, _Byakuguan might be too obvious, so what else do I have? _She knew Shiro would be alright, he had his beetles after all, _Hmm... but what about Chozo? Maybe I should have gotten Taran to help him..._

"Number 14, you're out," a chunnin said then, "That means 32 and 98 leave as well."

Hitori took the opportunity to look at where Chozo was sitting as the gennin all turned to see the chunnin who spoke. Debating at whether or not to use up a point to see if he was alright, Kiyoshi, who was sitting directly behind him caught her eye and raised her hand and open and closed it with a nod towards Chozo.

Catching her meaning, Hitori smiled and turned back around, _So he's good too, and I'll have to buy Kiyoshi dinner or something to thank her. _Now to figure out how to keep herself in the game, _It's too risky to go for byakuguan... wish Uncle Neji had mentioned something about the chunnin exams, I could have worn a hood or mask or something._

But it was not allowed. Anyone's who taken the exams before couldn't speak of it with anyone who hasn't. Just for the pure and simple reason that the tests went through several cycles... but they did eventually repeat.

_I'll have to hold out for the last question. That's all there is to it. _Pale blue eyes focused on the jonin giving the test, _Information gathering is the first half... I failed at that, but Chozo and Shiro have it covered... so I just need to solve the second part._

As the test went on, more and more gennin were asked to leave. Hitori chewed her pencil as she stared at the examiner, _He's got a lot of scars... and he's one of the older ones, though I've never seen him before... I wonder if he knew Daddy. _

Finally, _finally,_ he cleared his throat, "Alright the ones of you that are left can choose to take the tenth question..." he narrowed his eyes, "If you leave now you can take the test again next year... but if you complete the test and fail you can never attempt the chunnin exam again."

Protests, but none from the Konoha or Suna teams, which the proctor answered.

"That's a shame," Hitori said standing up, "Some of these guys are pretty good, and you're going to keep them at the gennin level because they can't pass a test?"

"So are you going to leave?" he looked at her almost expectantly.

"Not on your life," she grinned, "Chozo and Shiro both are chunin level, so I'd hate to let them down. And I have a promise to keep, I can't go looking for _him_ if I'm only a gennin. So I'm staying." Chi cawed in agreement.

He smiled, then looked around the classroom, no one else had gotten up since Hitori started talking, and the ones that were seeming to were giving guilty and apologetic looks to their teammates.

"Alright then... the ones left. You have all passed." he smiled as warmly as he could and turned to Hitori, "I have a confession. You guys have taken a version of the exam I haven't used in a very long time. Not since the chunnin exams that were held before the joint Sand/Sound invasion."

The proctor for the second examination appeared before he could say anymore, "Ibiki... you haven't left this many..." her eyes narrowed, "Alright you maggots! Gather your gear and meet me at battle ground number forty four in one hour. I'll brief you on the survival portion of the test then!"

Hitori stayed behind as the other gennin filed out. "Ibiki?" she asked quietly after all had left, "You said that you haven't used this version in a long time..." she chewed her lip, "It's just that... I think that was the exam that my parents took the first time."

"It was," he said gruffly, "As a shinobi you shouldn't be getting emotional though."

"Then why did you give us this version?" she asked.

He smiled, "Go get your gear. Anko's not one to keep waiting." She studied him for a moment, then nodded and ran out of the classroom, meeting her teammates outside.

He picked up her blank paper and shook his head, "She's just like her father."

"Weren't you saying that shinobi shouldn't be getting emotional?" Shikamaru said as he walked into the classroom from the room where he had been observing the proceedings.

"Lord Hokage," Ibiki bowed, "I was just looking over the exams."

"Troublesome," the Nara sighed, "You gave this version because so many of them were kids of the last batch you got to test. If I had known that..."

"I wonder," the interrogator nin smiled, "It seems that you lined up the same test as well. You want to know their abilities and how they compare as much as the rest of us do. I know for a fact that there are a few you have your eye on." he held up the Hitori's test paper, "But then we've all had our eye on this girl. She's just too much like _he_ was."


	11. Book 2 Chapter 3

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

_**AN**:__Hey anyone want to take a crack at drawing some of the second generation for me? I would, but then no one would see it as I have no scanner. _

_That being said, Naruto and all of those characters are not mine. The next generation herein are, though the jury is still out on Aiko._

_Incidentally, in case you were wondering... Aiko is twenty-one in this story and Shika the younger is nineteen._

_**Book Two, Chapter Three**_

Hitori certainly wasn't expecting the green haired girl she had met at the first part of the examination to grab her arm as she arrived at the battle field, "Just as I thought... you are sooo cool!" Chouko said excitedly, "You didn't even answer one question!"

"Ah, that is..." Hitori could just _feel_ the glare coming from Shiro, "I had complete faith in my team! So I had to put my all into that last question."

"You could have used your ocular jutsu," the beetle nin said quietly, "Megami had hers out the whole time." Chouko turned to him and narrowed her eyes in thought.

"But it's so easy to tell!" Hitori sighed in exasperation, "Especially with me. You've even noted before that my eyes change colors."

"You used beetles didn't you?" Chouko finally asked him, at his nod she let go of Hitori and latched onto him, "THAT is SO COOL!"

"So who's she?" Chozo asked as he joined the other two and took out a bag of chips.

"She sat next to me at the last part," Hitori explained, "Hey what village are you from?"

"Yumegakure," a voice behind her said, "Chouko, what are you doing?"

"Oh Kurai!" Chouko said happily, and with that the Uzumaki girl remembered _exactly_ why Chouko had seemed so familiar.

She turned and stared at the dark haired boy, "You're the one that Taran told me about... what are you doing here? You're not after him again are you?"

"I don't plan on it," Kurai smirked, "We're after something much better." with a menacing look at Hitori he grabbed Chouko and walked away.

"Seven..." Hitori breathed watching them as they walked away and joined their teammate, "And the other girl they just joined... that's Two..." she took a step back, and was steadied by Taran as his team caught up to hers.

"Don't let them get to you," he said quietly, "There's a chance that they are simply here to become chuunin."

"You okay?" Chozo asked, offering her some chips.

She closed her eyes and nodded, "Ye...yeah," she smiled at her and Taran's teams, "Let's go find out how the second part will work."

As she walked away, Shiro turned to Taran, "What happened with them?"

"She'll speak with you about it herself." came the short reply as the two followed to join the rest of the crowd of gennin.

* * *

"I'm not sure if I packed enough food for three days," Chozo said glumly as he followed Shiro and Hitori to their gate.

"We'll just have to make it through quickly then," Hitori said, placing the scroll in her kunai pouch, "Chi will be able to fly ahead and find the opposite scroll for us."

The three watched the gate expectantly, "Are you going to inform us of what intelligence that you have on the Yume team?" Shiro asked, pushing up his glasses.

She stared at him, _Damn, he would make it sound like that. _"They're the ones that took Taran and caused the incident that had me move from Suna. They had called themselves the Bijuu kids then, but that Kurai guy wasn't a jinchuuriki like the others."

"I wonder what powers he has to lead two bijuu containers then," Shiro said thoughtfully.

The gate opened and the three walked inside. "I'm going to use it now," Hitori said as Chi flew off her shoulder, "So keep close to me." she formed her hands in a seal, "Byakugaun!"

The blue in her eyes disappeared as the veins protruded, "I take back my earlier criticism," Shiro said, "You're correct in thinking that would be noticeable."

She nodded in response, "This way," she said jumping into the trees.

* * *

"So, are we going to hear anymore about little Hitori?" Kiyoshi teased Taran as the Sand team walked through the forest.

"Now isn't the time," Taran growled as he adjusted the gourd on his back.

"He's right sister," Kiyomi said, "There's a few nasties trying to pick a fight."

"Oh I noticed them," Kiyoshi waved her hands, "I just didn't think anyone would be that stupid this early on."

At that three ninja appeared from the undergrowth surrounding them, "You're not even trying to get through here quickly!" the leader accused, "That makes you easy pickings for us."

"Yeah, hand over the Earth scroll!" one of the others yelled.

"Kiyomi?" Kiyoshi asked, "Shall we take care of them for Taran?"

"I've been itching for a fight all along," her sister cracked her knuckles, "Just give us the order."

"Who am I to keep you two from having some fun," Taran smirked, "We need their Heaven scroll after all."

The twins stepped in front of him, Kiyomi reaching behind her for a small scroll, "Kankuro-sensei said that I earned this, and I haven't even had a chance to use him yet."

"You're going to start out with that one?" Kiyoshi smiled, "Didn't Kanky-sensei say that he was a bit difficult?"

"Not as difficult as you, always getting in people's business," Kiyomi growled as she unfurled the scroll, a puff of smoke appeared and a red-haired puppet clothed in the traditional sand robes, but black appeared, amusement in his heavy lidded brown eyes, "So Sasori, want to help me with this trash?"

* * *

Megami cursed as she hit a branch, and Lian and Jin paused a few tree tops away.

"Are you alright?" Lian asked, rushing to help her up.

"Shut up!" she growled, "I don't need you!"

"Perhaps we should split up for a bit," Jin suggested, "Since you don't need us, maybe Lian and I can go set up camp while you use your byakugaun to find that scroll we need."

Megami narrowed her eyes, and Lian started to protest.

"Sounds good to me. Gives me a chance to prove how utterly worthless you losers are," she stood, "And I want a feast when I get to that camp. Be sure to have it ready for me."

Jin sighed, and pulled Lian, still protesting against the idea behind him. It was only after they had left that Megami slumped down, her back against the tree, "Idiots. I don't need any of them," tears came to her eyes, "I'm not weak."

"Oh but you are," a shadow appeared from the tree and Kurai landed in front of her, "You're so utterly weak and pathetic it's not even funny."

She sniffed and glared at this person who _dared _to say she was weak, "Get the hell away from me! Don't you know who I am!"

"A spoiled little princess... not even the _real _heir to your clan," his eyes glinted red for a brief moment, and Megami wondered if she imagined it, "You hate her most of all don't you... if she weren't around, you would have no problems, am I correct?"

"She should have never left that cursed desert!" Megami spat, "She's made me look weak ever since she showed up!"

Kurai said nothing in response to that, just reached into his pouch and took out a kunai wrapped in a red silk cloth and gave it to her.

"What's this?" she asked.

"One graze of that and Uzumaki Hitori won't be a problem for you anymore. And to show that I mean you no harm," he reached into his pocket pulling out a scroll, "This is what you need to pass to the next part of the exam, am I correct?"

A slight nod, and a greedy reach for the scroll.

"So we have a deal then?" Kurai grinned.

"But what's in it for you?" Megami asked, "You're giving me two things here!"

He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers, "Am I?" he whispered.

She turned bright red, and snatched the scroll away. "W...we... have a deal," she managed to say before she jumped away in the direction of her team.

If she had activated her byakugaun or had even looked back, she would have seen Kurai joined by his teammates as he wiped his mouth.

"Filthy brat," he spat, "It was easier to manipulate her than I thought."

"I feel bad though," said Chouko, "That poison's going to hurt Hitori..."

"That's the plan," Neko said, "If she's poisoned with that concoction, then he'll have to show up. Remember, there's only one cure for it." she and Kurai jumped away, in the direction of the tower.

Chouko sighed before jumping after them, "Still... I kinda like her. I don't like that we have to hurt her or Taran some more."

* * *

Kiyomi stretched after she had called Sasori back to his scroll, "See sis, I didn't even need your help."

Kiyoshi studied the three unconscious gennin lying on the ground in front of them, and flexed her fingers, using unseen chakra wires to retrieve a scroll from the bodies, "Well... this is the one we need," she turned to Taran, "Shall we head to the tower now?"

He was looking into the forest, "Not yet. There seems to be someone after Hitori's team." The twins nodded at him as they saw the tendrils of sand creep back into his gourd.

"You romantic!" Kiyoshi teased, "You used that sand to see how she was doing while we were fighting!"

He closed his eyes and counted to ten in an attempt to not lose his temper, "There's more than one team from Yume in the forest," he said quietly, "There's another jinnchuuriki in here as well."

"Do you think we can handle that?" Kiyoshi looked at her sister, who grinned and punched her palm.

"Of course we can handle that," Kiyomi exclaimed, "We got the strongest jinchuuriki with _us _after all_!"_

_

* * *

_

Hitori stopped for a moment causing the two boys to pause, "Shiro do your beetles feel it?"

He slowly nodded, "He's been following us for a while now... and it's a very strong chakra signature."

She looked around, "Here seems like a good place to stop, he's a little while behind us..." she turned to Chozo, "What do you think?"

He munched a chip, "There's a chance that he has the scroll we need."

Hitori grinned, "Chi's still out looking, so there's no telling, but I really don't feel like waiting on him too long. So let's fight." the two boys nodded.


	12. Book 2 Chapter 4

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

_**AN**: __Yay for plot chickens laying eggs! There's a very good chance that I'm going to do some side background stories for a certain few of the second gen, but I'm going to wait for certain events to take place in this endeavor before I do._

_Once again, the original characters from Naruto are not mine, but the second generation is with a hefty maybe on Sarutobi Aiko._

_**Corrections: **__I told you guys the wrong age for Aiko and Shika last chapter. After rechecking my math, Aiko's 17, not 21, which makes Shika 15. Guess what one of my worst subjects is._

_**Book 2, Chapter 4**_

"There has been evidence of someone other than the gennin entering the battlegrounds," one of the Anbu reported, "Anko is investigating more into this, but our preliminary reports that the intruder has a chakra not unlike the kyubbi's. We have reason to believe that one of the jinchuuriki involved with the incident in Suna five years ago has appeared."

"They've been silent," one of the jonin gathered in the council room said, "Why are they moving now?"

"It was a mistake to allow her in the chunnin exams, you were right in thinking she was a target!" another said, "We must stop the exams immediately, one of them showing up now means that the kyu..."

"There has been no evidence that she holds it," Neji interrupted, "The kyubbi died with Naruto."

"There still is a great danger!" the jonin who spoke said, with a glare at the Hyuga, "Those children are not..."

"We're going to let them continue to participate," Shikamaru's quiet voice rang through the council.

The council of jonin all turned to look at him in shock, all except for Neji who was quietly looking through the window towards the battle ground the current stage of the test was taking place at.

"Are you sure?" Choji said, "Some of the..."

"I understand your concern," the Hokage regarded his long time friend with tired brown eyes, "But I have faith in those kids," he gave a ghost of a smile, "You should read some of their mission reports, it'll give you a pretty good idea of their abilities."

"Abilities or not they're still chil..." the jonin who wanted to stop the exams spoke again.

"They are genin," Konohamaru said, "Not just children. If the Hokage has faith in their abilities, then we need to have some too."

* * *

The red clothed man jumped down in the middle of the clearing, "Come out little brats. I know you're here."

Hitori peered down at him from her hiding spot in the leaves of the tree, eyes widening as she recognized the man below, _Five... he's the one who..._ she chewed her lip and Chi pecked her reassuringly. She looked at the crow and nodded, _Right... we have a plan. _

_**Don't lose your cool now, Shiro and Chozo are counting on you. **_

That deep voice again, she had been hearing those reassuring tones on and off for five years now, but no one was ever there. She looked warily at Chi, no one except him at least... and crows didn't talk...

A crash from below caught her attention, and she raised her hands in the cross seal she had learned the night before, _Ero-sensei at least taught me something that I can use... now to wait for the signal._

Five took a step forward and crunched a log... which turned into a heap of Shiro's special beetles and ascended upon the fearsome jinchuuriki.

Hitori grinned, "Taju Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"

A slight headache from the seal, but that was partly to her byakugaun still being activated as she summoned the hundreds of shadow clones. They peered down from the trees, and she came out of hiding.

At the appearance of her clones, Chozo released the wires he had been guarding, which in turn caused the smoke bombs to be detonated. The Hitori's flew into the attack then.

"You didn't think it would be that easy!" Five threw his arms, and a chakra wave pushed most of them back, causing them to poof out of existence.

"Of course not!" Hitori said as she jumped down from the tree, aiming a kick at his face.

He smirked as he grabbed her leg, and threw her against one of the trees, she threw her arms in front of her face to brace for the impact.

Which never came, sand cocooned itself around her and gently carried her to a point behind Taran.

"Thanks," she said as the sand fell away and she stood, "But shouldn't you guys be heading on to the tower."

"Hn," he grunted as Kiyomi and Kiyoshi gently landed next to him, "What good is our promise if you can't pass?"

She smiled as she dusted herself off, "Yeah, but how am I supposed to learn if you keep saving my ass?" Chi lazily glided down to her shoulder, "But I suppose we might need a little help with this guy."

Five started towards them, "Good... both of you here. That makes my job easier."

A swarm of beetles descended upon him again, and Hitori threw her arms together in the cross formation, quickly summoning more shadow clones.

"Lead him to Chozo, he's going to grab him," she whispered to the Sand nin as she leaped into the fray.

"Y'know," Kiyomi said as she pulled some scrolls from her back and summoned another puppet she had inherited from Kankuro, Crow, "I really am beginning to like her."

Kiyoshi lifted her fingers gently as the barely visible chakra strings unfurled from them, "It's so rare to see someone you like." the strings attached themselves to scattered rocks and leaves, causing them to rise up and head towards the jinchuuriki.

Hitori leaped through the rising sand and went straight to Five, punching him before he could recover from the beetles. He stepped back and sent a wave of chakra at her.

"I need you alive brat," he snarled, "Father has no use for you dead."

"He doesn't have any use for me at all," she growled back, jumping with her clones and attempting to kick him again, "I'm not a container."

"Are you sure?" he grabbed her leg and threw her, finding out the one he grabbed was a clone as it poofed away, he turned to find Hitori about to punch him in the face.

"Daddy's still alive!" she exclaimed, and he tried to counter but found sand holding his limbs down. The girl punched him and he staggered back a few more steps.

"Don't make me release," he warned, as the limbs and rocks Kiyoshi controlled flew at him.

More clones flew towards him now, and with them more of Shiro's beetles, throwing a chakra wave at them, he didn't notice the two Hitori's who threw wire around his feet or the one that was flying in low, throwing a punch to his stomach.

It connected and he fell backwards, and was grabbed by two arms that were far too big for their own good which held him around his neck.

"Got him!" Chozo shouted as he squeezed. The man dropped unconscious and he let them go.

Kiyomi scowled as she dismissed Crow back into the scroll.

"Aww, don't pout," her sister teased, "You handled the last fight all by your lonesome."

Hitori released her clones and collapsed down to the ground panting, "That was a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be."

"You shouldn't summon so many next time," Shiro finally came out of his hiding spot and jumped down to join the others, "How is your head feeling?"

"It's killing me," the girl sighed and then sat up, "Hey Chozo, he doesn't happen to have a scroll does he?" At her teammates shake of the head she laid back down again, "Damn why'd he have to waste our time like that?"

Kiyoshi took out some wire and walked over to Five, "I'll tie him up, and then it might be wise to get a bit away from here. Your village's anbu will take care of him."

"Um," Chozo blushed, "Would you like to camp with us... we don't have a lot of food, but I'm a decent cook and you guys did help us out twice now."

The calmer of the Sand twins looked over to Taran, who shrugged, "We would love too," she smiled, "It's a bit late to be trying to get to the tower tonight anyways."

Taran walked over to Hitori, "You'll be on your own in the morning."

She eyed him, "Gee, whatever shall we do," before bursting into a grin and sitting up again, "Forgive me for doing something stupid?"

He sighed, though she caught the barest of smiles rush across his face, "Only if you actually learn from it."

* * *

Long after the two teams had left him tied up to a tree, Five woke up to see Kurai and the two girl jinchuuriki staring at him, "What are you waiting for? Go after them!"

"No," Kurai stated, "We're not... at least not yet."

"You defy..."

"We're not following Father's orders anymore," Neko said, and Chouko nodded, "So are you going to join us or stay with him?"

Five stared at them, "He was right... that woman did corrupt you before she failed."

"We have our own plan," Kurai smirked, "Chouko... have you noticed that Five can't use his bijuu?"

"It's strange isn't it?" she said a little too cheerfully, "If he had used it in that fight, then none of them would have stood a chance," she regarded the man with her head cocked to one side, "I don't think he can even speak with his anymore."

"How dare you! Of course I can..." the man's eyes widened as he tried to release his powers to prove his point, and found that he couldn't. He turned to Kurai and finally noticed the boy's usually obsidian eyes were now red and strange symbols spun in them, "But... it doesn't..."

"Neko... you take care of him," Kurai said before he and Chouko turned away, "We're going to the tower."

She smiled and two chakra tails appeared, "You should have joined us."

* * *

Hitori yawned as she opened her eyes the next morning and looked around the small campsite they had set up last night, _Those guys left already. _she noted glumly, then smiled, _Well... we do have to find our own scroll. We can hang out after the exams are all over._

Chi cawed and she stood up and wrapped her sky blue robe over her mesh top and leggings and went to wake up Chozo.

"I believe there is a team thirty meters away that has a scroll we need," Shiro said, "They are still asleep from what my beetles are telling me, but that could be a trap."

She nodded, "Well... it's better than nothing. No breakfast for us then," at Chozo's sad look she smiled, "But as soon as we get both scrolls to the tower we'll have a celebratory feast."


	13. Book 2 Chapter 5

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

_**AN**: __Naruto is not mine, though the second generation is with a very interesting maybe on Sarutobi Aiko._

_**Book Two, Chapter 5**_

"Noko, get going!" the tall gennin with brown hair shouted at the lavender haired girl, "We need hurry if we're going to find that scroll today!"

"No problem," the Grass nin reached for the bag she had placed their Earth scroll in before a flurry of black feathers swooped in and stole it, "Hey!" she stood up, "Haun, Diago, that crow..."

"Hi there!" a cheerful voice said and the three nin looked up to see the crow fly up to the girl with orange streaks in her black hair that was sitting on a branch high above her heads, "What a coincidence... this is the scroll we need!"

"Give that back!" the shorter male in the Grass group said, "That's ours!"

"Perhaps a contest?" Shiro said as he came out of the shadows of the tree, "Since you have the scroll we need, it stands to reason that we have the one that you need."

"So," Chozo said munching a chip, as they noticed him sitting down on a branch across from Hitori, "Whaddya say?"

"You guys look really nice, so instead of duking it out, why don't we have some fun?" Hitori grinned as she jumped down.

"What kind of contest?" the tall brunet demanded.

Hitori called to Chi and put the scroll in her pocket in the same bag as the one from the Grass nin. "Well... that's up to you guys to decide, since we're challenging you and all."

Noko smiled, "It does seem like fun Diago," she said to her tall teammate.

He sighed, "This isn't supposed to be fun."

"But why not?" Hitori argued, "There's enough seriousness already with this fight, and the next part's going to even be tougher."

"Maybe a race?" suggested Haun, "To the tower?"

"Would have to be the whole team," Chozo said, "Any rules you want to add?"

"No jutsus or kekkei genki," Diago crossed his arms and glared at the opposing team's girl, "I know you're a Hyuga. Chakra control is alright, but you need to fight anything on the way with simple taijutsu."

She smiled, "I couldn't use my byakugaun right now anyways, my head is still throbbing from all the work I did yesterday. How about Chi hold the scrolls for us until we get to the tower?"

"Won't he get attacked by another team?" Noko asked, "Maybe we should hold the scrolls ourselves."

"That seems fair," Shiro stated, "We hold yours and you hold ours."

"But how will we know you'll hand it over if we win?" Haun glared at the others suspiciously.

Hitori took his hand, "I'm an Uzumaki, we always keep our word." she turned to the other two nin, "Alright with you guys?"

Chi swooped down again, and she took the Earth scroll while Noko took the Heaven scroll.

"Ready?" Diago asked.

"We'll start when Chi flies again, how about that?" Hitori said, the grass nin nodded, "The first full team to get there wins then."

Six pairs of eyes trained themselves onto Chi, waiting with bated breath.

He stretched his wings and lifted up into the air and the clearing was suddenly empty.

* * *

"Shiro..." Hitori said as they ran through the forest, "You not mad about this are you?"

"We should have just fought them and moved on," he said pushing up his glasses, "We're risking having to find two scrolls."

"Yeah, but why make enemies," Hitori smiled, "They did seem nice enough."

They hopped from branch to branch, above them Chi flew over the canopy, watching both teams.

"Diago," Noko called out as she trailed behind her teammates, "Why didn't they just take the scroll?"

"They're idiots I suppose," came the answer as he navigated through the hanging trees, "Or soft. Either way they won't pass the exam if they keep that attitude."

Haun nodded in agreement and they continued on their way. Suddenly a giant insect passed over them. "What kind of freaks keep this place anyway?" the shorter grass nin said quietly.

Noko was about to answer when something wrapped around her leg and she fell down as a small scream erupted from her lips.

The two grass nin turned around to see her disappear into a pit, "Noko!"

They ran to the edge and looked down, the lavender haired girl's leg looked broken and there were all sorts of cuts and scrapes on her.

"Can you stand?" Haun called down.

"No," she said, tears in her eyes.

"Throw up the scroll," Diago said icily.

"What?" Haun turned to look at the taller boy, "We can't just leave her!"

"I'm certain we can defeat that Leaf team," he said, "And the rules didn't say we _all _had to make it to the tower."

Noko chewed her lip and threw the scroll up, "You'll send help right?"

"You're always slowing us down," Diago said, "Yeah, sure... as soon as we pass this next part."

Tears welled in her eyes, and she heard the slow foot steps away from the brim of the pit.

* * *

Chi flew down and pecked Hitori flat on the head, "Are you sure?" she said suddenly stopping, and Shiro and Chozo turned to look at her.

"What's up?" Chozo asked.

"Well... Chi's acting like something happened to one of the other team." Hitori narrowed her eyes in thought, "I'll go check it out while you two run ahead."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Shiro asked, "It could be a trap."

"Even so," Hitori jumped away from them, "I still have to try and help."

"Be careful!" Chozo cried after her, "Send Chi if something happens to you!"

"Hurry up and get to that tower!" she shouted back, "Hold my spot for me!"

Navigating through the thick vegetation wasn't really that hard for Hitori, especially with Chi as a guide, and she soon found the pit Noko had fallen into.

"You alright?" she called down.

Noko sniffed, "I can't stand," she said hastily wiping tears away, "And Diago and Haun went ahead without me."

"Hey, there was a rope in your bag," Hitori called down, "I'm going to send Chi down to you, let him grab one end of it."

Noko slowly nodded, "But I can't climb!" she exclaimed as she handed the crow the end of the rope, watching him as he flew up.

"No problem!" the girl with orange streaks grinned, "Tie the other end around your waist, I'll lift you up!"

"I'm really glad we followed you then," Chozo said as he and Shiro jumped down, "No way you can do that by yourself."

Shiro gave a slow nod and pushed up his glasses, "You're too rash Hitori. You would have ended up in the pit as well."

Noko tied the rope around her and looked up, "I'm ready!"

The three Leaf gennin pulled on the rope, lifting the girl up, who for the several slow moments she was being hoisted in the air promised herself to go on a diet.

Chi cawed as she came to the top, and Hitori and Shiro looked at her leg.

"It's broken," Shiro said, "We need to sprint it."

His teammate was already ahead of him, and with some sturdy poles, once a staff weapon that Tenten had given her in a scroll, and one of her extra shirts, set the leg.

"One of us is taking medical training after this," Hitori sighed, "As it is, our best bet is to hope that there's a medic at the tower."

"My teammates are waiting there with the scroll... they were going to fight you to take yours," Noko said sheepishly.

Hitori smiled gently, "We're not worried about that right now," turning to Chozo and Shiro, "I can carry her I think."

"The tower isn't that far away," Chozo added, "Let me know if you need a break and I'll take a turn."

Shiro nodded.

The three stood, and Hitori lifted Noko, careful not to move the leg and they continued along to the tower.

* * *

Diago and Haun were waiting for them at the entrance, "There you..."

Hitori flew pass them, carrying Noko, into the entrance. As her teammates joined her, the two boys followed.

"Crap." Hitori grimaced as they came into an empty room with instructions on the wall, "I suppose this is where we open the two scrolls."

"Then give it over!" Diago started.

"We need to get Noko some medical help before we worry about the test," the girl set the grass nin down and looked around the room for any other passageway into the tower, completely ignoring the two boys, "Chozo and Shiro? You guys see anything?"

"Give them the scroll Diago," Noko whispered, "They beat us... even after stopping and helping me."

He turned crimson, and Haun took the scroll from his pocket and turned to Hitori, "Maybe after the scrolls open..."

She looked at him a moment, "Yeah... you're right." Tossing Shiro that one, she took the other from her kunai pouch, "Ready?"

He nodded and both broke open the seal.

A column of smoke appeared and when it cleared Aiko stood there, "Congratulations!" she said happily, "You..."

"Not now Aiko!" Hitori exclaimed, "Noko here needs some help!"

Taken aback by the younger girl's interruption, Aiko stared a moment at the scene in front of her, then slowly smiled, "Alright, but first which team is the one that passed?"

"They are," Diago said quietly as he realized he was defeated, "Just help Noko."

"Alright, alright," Aiko whispered something into her wireless, "Medical nin are on their way here... so if you Grass nin would stay put. Hitori, you and Chozo and Shiro come this way." At that a door opened in the back of the room, and Chozo and Shiro passed through it.

Hitori glanced back, "Let's have a rematch sometime," she said to the Grass team.

"I won't get pulled into a pit," Noko smiled, "So it won't be so easy for you."

At that the Leaf nin grinned and rejoined her team. Noko was amazed, it seemed that even serious Diago was smiling back as Hitori left them.

* * *

"What took you so long?" Taran asked as Hitori and her team joined the others in the arena area.

"Just having a bit of fun," she stuck out her tongue.

"We're glad you made it though," Kiyoshi smiled, "It would have been boring if you guys didn't make it to the final part."

"How did _you _pass?" a voice drawled behind Hitori and she turned to face Megami.

"Hey Lian and Jin!" she exclaimed, completely ignoring her cousin, "You guys made it too!"

"Megami showed a level of youthfulness she previously did not have and single-handedly got us a scroll!" Lian exclaimed.

"Really?" Hitori turned and smiled at the Hyuga, "That's great!"

"It was nothing _really_," Megami said, a faint blush coming to her cheeks, "Come on you two." she hurried away, somehow feeling unnerved by the Uzumaki's smile. She briefly brushed her fingers against the red silk that was still wrapped around the kunai the Yume nin had given her.

_Stop looking so smug! _she wanted to scream.

"Congratulations," Shikamaru stepped into the center of the arena, "You all made it to the third part of the chunnin exams." his eyes darkened, "Now begins the preliminaries for the final part."


	14. Book 2 Chapter 6

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

_**AN**: __Naruto is not, nor ever will be, mine. The second generation is, though Aiko's kinda iffy._

_Incidentally, one of my ever loyal readers, SilverWillowfly has written a story with Hitori and Taran. It's an alternate reality from the one herein, but it's pretty good so far. Check it out._

_**Book Two, Chapter Six**_

Chi cawed and Hitori looked up at the giant board that was to announce the first of the participants.

"Man, this always takes forever," Konohamaru grumbled.

"It's because you're impatient," Temari countered as she gently tapped his head with her fan.

The two teams turned to see their jonin instructors behind him.

"Good job so far guys," Konohamaru grinned, "I heard about you helping out that nin in the Forest of Death, pretty classy Hitori."

Shiro pushed up his glasses, "Though she may not have gotten hurt if we had simply fought that team instead of racing them."

"This is the one part of the chunnin exams Uncle Neji could tell me about," Hitori said quietly as she looked back to the arena.

The others stared at her, not used to seeing the girl so serious. Temari closed her eyes, "So he's told you about that fight then."

Hitori nodded, "This is going to be a harder part to pass than the other two," her eyes lifted and met the Hyuga eyes that glared at her from across the arena. Chi pecked her ear, and she shook her head, "Sorry! Just thinking out loud."

"It looks like it started," Taran said looking up at the board.

* * *

_**Kurai v/s Mana Kiyoshi**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

"That's me then," Kiyoshi smiled gently, "You'll cheer me on right?" she gently jumped down.

"You be careful!" Kiyomi shouted, "He's one of the..."

"Don't worry so sister," her twin said as she softly landed, "Kanky-sensei put a lot of faith in me." She turned to face her opponent.

He smirked, "You won't get pass me."

"I don't have to," Kiyoshi flexed her fingers, and small threads of chakra started to trail from them, "All I need to do is figure out information for Kiyomi and Taran."

The proctor gave the signal to start, and Kurai disappeared from Kiyomi's view.

_He's fast! _She lifted her hand and the threads spread out, creating a web, _There!_

She sidestepped the lunge coming from her right, but somehow missed the blade he wielded.

The blade connected.

_What was that sound!? _Hitori wondered staring down at the fight, _That..._

She and Chozo gasped at the sight below. Kiyoshi sat collapsed on the ground, and on the floor next to her...

...Was her right arm, disconnected from the shoulder.

"It's over," Kurai pointed his sword at the girl's throat.

"I still have my other arm," she said calmly, "Haven't you noticed something missing?"

He stared at her. Above in the observation area Hitori gasped again, _There isn't any blood!_ She turned to Kiyomi and Taran. The other twin had closed her eyes and was shaking.

"Is she..." Hitori started to ask, but a look from Taran stopped the question.

_"I wouldn't be surprised if they were puppets themselves"_

Eyes widened, she turned back to the battle.

"Kiyoshi! You promised to come taste some of my dad's cooking!" Chozo suddenly called out, "Don't get hurt anymore!"

Grey eyes looked up, and Kiyoshi smiled as she stood up and turned her attention back to her opponent, "I just wanted to grow old with my sister," she said, "And make some friends along the way."

"I'll crush those dreams as easily as I'll crush you," Kurai whispered, obsidian eyes flashing, "What makes you think there will be room for such things in the new world?"

"And what makes _you_ think we'll simply let you create the new world?" She raised her hand and chakra threads shot out and headed towards Kurai.

"The same thing that tells me you're about to lose," he smirked as he ran towards her again.

It was over too quickly and he sheathed his sword as Kiyoshi fell to the ground as her left arm came away from her.

Kiyomi jumped down then, "She can't continue! End the match," she yelled at the proctor as she collected her Kiyoshi and her arms.

"Winner... Kurai." the proctor said with a wary look at the twins who were heading back to the observation area.

"Just as I thought," Kiyoshi whispered as Kiyomi sat her down against the wall, "I'm still weak."

"Shut up," Kiyomi growled, "Kankuro-sensei..."

"Is busted," Temari stated, "Kiyoshi, why was I not informed about this?"

The girl looked down, "Kiyomi can you fix it?"

"Hell no!" her sister stated, "We'll have to wait on him to come here. I can mend it a little, but you won't be able to use them."

Temari fumed at being ignored.

"Aunt Temari, I'm certain Uncle Kankuro had a reason to use the forbidden puppet techniques," Taran said quietly, "Yelling at them or at him won't change facts like that."

"You knew didn't you?" she asked as she stared at her nephew. He didn't answer.

"Kiyoshi are you alright?" Hitori and Chozo rushed over to her.

"Oh I'm fine," she smiled at them, "Unfortunately my sister can't fix this sort of thing, so I'm a bit out of commission for a while." Kiyomi finished wrapping her arms, "Sister dear, you're making me look like a mummy!"

"It's the only way to keep them on until I can get some better tools!" Kiyomi snapped, "It's your fault for underestimating him!"

Hitori grinned, "I'm sure Chozo can help you out until Uncle Kankuro can fix you!" she said cheerfully, causing the heavyset boy to turn bright red as he stammered his agreement.

"You're too sweet," Kiyoshi smiled.

Shiro cleared his throat, "The next match is starting."

They looked up at the board.

* * *

_**Akimichi Chozo v/s Yamanaka Jin**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

"Good luck!" Hitori and Kiyoshi smiled at him.

Chozo made his way down to the arena to meet Jin who was already there, sitting with his sketchbook.

"I've always wondered that if we had happened to graduate at the same time, if we would have been in the same class," Jin said quietly as he concentrated on his drawings, "Your father and my mother were teammates after all."

"Most likely," Chozo took out a bag of chips, "I never really thought about it though."

"You got a good team to begin with. You three have worked well together, ever since Hitori came back from Suna." he glanced up at the stands, "Lian and I work well together, but the third in our cell is constantly causing problems."

At this he flashed his pen and a shadowy image appeared from his sketches, resembling a girl with blank eyes and a large mouth, "She's always nagging and shouting at everything," the girl opened and closed her mouth as she stomped her feet.

Chozo bit his lip for a few seconds before bursting into laughter, "You got her straight on!" tears formed in his eyes.

Jin concentrated on his drawing and quickly scribbled something else on the paper. Two little horns appeared, one on each side of the head, "She's a devil woman!" he said smiling.

"SHUT UP JIN!" Megami shouted down from the observation area, "CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING USEFUL FOR ONCE!"

Chozo fell to the floor, holding his sides as he laughed. The apparition Jin summoned stomped around as the mouth wagged open and shut, punctuation marks drifting away from it.

"S..stop!" Chozo said, "I'm not able to fight!"

Jin smiled again, "You give up then?"

"S..sure," the Akimichi hiccupped, "Jus... just that's too funny!"

The proctor stared for a moment, "Winner... Jin."

When Chozo finally got back up to the observation deck, he sat next to Hitori who was still giggling, "That was so mean of him!" she finally said.

"I don't care, it was great!" he agreed, "I would have felt bad if I beat him anyways."

"I failed to see the humor," Shiro said quietly, causing his teammates to stare at him a moment before both howled with laughter.

"Get serious you two," Konohamaru warned, "The next match is starting."

Chi pecked Hitori's ear and she looked up at the board, her mood sobering as she saw the names.

* * *

_**Hyuga Megami v/s Uzumaki Hitori**_


	15. Book 2 Chapter 7

**_Children of Sorrowful Fate_**

_**AN**:__I have a popularity poll in my profile now, so go vote for your favorite of the second generation. I'll try and commission some art work of the fan favorite. (that being said, I still want artwork of all of them, just in case anyone wants to. I drew some stuff, but I have no scanner.)_

_As always, Naruto is not mine, though the second generation kiddies are, with that ever present _maybe_ on Sarutobi Aiko._

_**Book Two, Chapter Seven**_

Hitori stepped down to the arena, vaguely aware of the many eyes that trained themselves on her, some from the other gennin, some from their jonin, and a few unseen in the see-through glass.

Chi didn't stay on her shoulder, instead the crow waited next to Taran, perched on the bars of the observation area, the girl glanced up at him, then reached her hands back to straighten her orange streaked ponytail as she turned to face her opponent.

Megami glared at her, "This will be the easiest fight of my life," the Hyuga heir said tossing her hair, ""I never did pay you back for that cheap shot you pulled back at school."

Hitori didn't say anything, instead quietly released her byakugaun and settled into the stance for the gentle fist fighting style.

"You're nothing but a lowly branch member," Megami spit, "A lousy half-breed that dares to use the byakugaun and our clan secrets that were stolen from the main family."

"Who decides who is main or branch?" Hitori answered, "Uncle Neji was born of the second child of the head, just as you were."

At that Megami angrily released her kekkai genki and lunged towards her cousin.

Hitori sidestepped the outstretched punch and tapped the Hyuga's hand, not saying anything as the fight continued and the two girls matched gentle fist for gentle fist.

To the observers it was obvious who the real Hyuga prodigy was.

* * *

_"Why was I sealed?" Hitori asked one day, "Who did it?"_

_Neji sipped his tea slowly, a sign to the small girl that he was thinking over the answer before he spoke... or trying to find a way to change the subject. He placed the cup on the table and stared at his niece._

_"The Hyuga council had decided not to make Hinata the head," he finally said, "Instead giving the title to Hanabi at my uncle's death. She had more qualities better suited to lead the clan they believed. So the night you were born, they came to your room while your father and I were fighting and sealed you."_

_"Was there another reason?" Pale blue eyes stared desperately at his white ones._

_"Did something happen today?" he asked gently._

_"I was called a half-breed," she picked at her dinner, "By that girl that I got into trouble for hitting her. And I was wondering if that had anything to do with my being sealed."_

_Neji smiled, "Your mother did marry someone not approved by the council. But there would be no other for her. He was her weakness as well as her strength," a dark cloud passed over his face, "So much so that it killed her when he died."_

_Hitori stared at him, she had never heard Neji talk about her mother or her death before, "But I was born that day... didn't she want me?"_

_It was several painful minutes before he spoke again, "Not without Naruto."_

_The girl chewed her lip, and looked for a long time through her rice, trying to find something reassuring in the grains. _

_She glanced up again, tears welling in her eyes, "I won't be like that. Even if I fall in love with someone... I won't abandon others just because that person can no longer be with me. I couldn't betray their faith like that."_

* * *

"Your mother was weak, you're weak," Megami said, as she backed away and formed another seal, "And you'll always be in the branch family." She released the seal and a blinding pain engulfed Hitori.

She grimaced, _The curse mark! She's trying to make me yield! _Breathing in deeply, she fought through the pain and composed herself as best she could, "Mama died years ago, entrusting me to my Uncle because she had no faith in her abilities." she placed her foot back, her hand facing palm down in front of her, "I'm different from her, I do have faith in my abilities." cold pale blue eyes settled on Megami, "For all your talk, you haven't struck me once... yet how many hits have you received from me?"

"Shut up!" Megami yelled, "I see right through you!" her fist clenched, "You talk all the while of becoming friends with everyone, but what good are they? They'll just leave you like your parents did!"

"If they leave me, then I'll keep fighting on," Hitori grinned, "Even if all my friends disappear, I'll still have the memories of the good times we had together and I'll keep moving forward. That was the lesson I learned from Mama's mistake."

Megami lunged forward again attempting to strike, her cousin merely dodged the attacks, though it was becoming increasingly difficult with the seal on her forehead being activated.

Even so, only a few of Megami's attacks hit home, while all of Hitori's counterattacks struck true.

She faltered as she felt her chakra being blocked and broke off the attack. "You always do this to me... ever since you stepped back into this village," her hand reached down into the kunai pouch where the knife given to her by Kurai was.

"I did nothing but stand up to you," the other girl answered, "If you appear weak and spoiled, it's because you are." she grimaced, she hated being this mean to anyone, but it _needed _to be said; Megami simply couldn't go through her shinobi career blaming everything on everyone else.

"That's a lie," the heir snarled, "I have been training non stop every single day of my life. I've never seen you do anything but play around and be a nuisance."

"How do you think I can fight through the activated seal?" Hitori said quietly, "I pushed my limits to get this far. There used to be a time that I couldn't summon any chakra." her eyes softened, "The way I see it, the seal had the opposite effect than intended... without it I doubt I would be strong enough to stand up to anything."

Megami grabbed the kunai out of her pouch and lunged forward again, "Disappear damnit!"

Again, Hitori dodged the attacks, easily side stepping her cousins movements.

So predictable, except...

As she landed the finishing blow to Megami, causing the girl to fall back, her skin was knicked by the kunai in the heir's hands.

Megami laid coughing on the floor, trying to will life back into her chakra networks so that she could finish the job on Hitori, only vaguely aware of the fact that in hand to hand combat, she... the prestigious Heir to the Hyuga clan... was easily defeated.

Almost.

Hitori rubbed her arm as the wound from the kunai seemed to burn, _That's odd... it's such a tiny scratch too... _

She took a step forward and faltered, as the room started to spin and burn.

An arm caught her and she caught a familiar smell of cinnamon and spice, "Are you alright?" someone... she couldn't quite place who asked.

She started to nod, except for when she moved her head everything disappeared into darkness.

"Get the medics," Taran said, "There was a poison on that kunai," he looked at Megami who had started to rise, "Wasn't there?"

She shivered at his cold emerald eyes, "It was given to me..." she said weakly, "He didn't want me to lose!"

"What's the matter One?" Kurai pitched his voice so only Taran could hear him as he leaped down into the arena, "Is Nine sick?"

Taran kept Hitori close to him and glared at the other boy, "What are you planning?"

"Wouldn't you rather we get her than my Father?" Kurai smirked, "We wouldn't destroy her like he would."

The medics came in then and took Hitori from Taran as they started medical treatment. He started to follow them.

"Don't you have a fight?" the obsidian eyed boy asked in mock innocence, "She would be mad at you if you forfeited after coming all this way."

Chi cawed then and flew away from his perch, following closely after the medic team.

Taran watched the crow silently, then sand surrounded him and he returned to the observation area, and looked at Kiyoshi and Chozo. "Find her uncle and tell him what happened," he said quietly.

Konohamaru placed a hand on the sand nin's shoulder, "It's Hitori. She has her father's luck, so she'll be alright," he turned to Chozo, "Though he's right, you better go find Neji. Temari, do you mind if your student goes with him."

She shook her head, "Go on Kiyoshi. I know you're worried about her as well." she stared at the board as the proctor announced that the previous fight was a draw, "We'll be done here shortly."

The next names appeared on the board.

* * *

Hitori felt herself falling into darkness. _What happened? Where am I?_

_**Stay calm, I am by your side. **_she dimly remembered hearing that deep voice before... but from where... who was it?

She was burning up, and her mind couldn't hold a thought. She struggled for some handhold of reality, but couldn't find any.

Strong arms picked her up and wrapped themselves around her, _**You can't fall now. There is still much for you to do. You said you wouldn't abandon them remember?**_

_Abandon who? _she couldn't remember, and she felt like a piece of her was torn away, "Who are you?" she asked quietly, "Where am I?"

"Hitori... time to get up," a gentle voice said and she opened her eyes...

And found herself in a bedroom with colorful posters on the walls and an odd looking box, much like the small television in her and Neji's apartment, but much bigger and more modern looking.

Not that she could remember what that television looked like.

"You silly," the gentle voice said again, and she turned to see an older woman with pale lavender eyes and indigo hair swept up into a loose bun, "You're just like your father... always sleeping in. You better hurry or you'll be late for school."

Hitori meekly nodded and rose from the bed, walking over to her closet and taking out a hunter green vest and pale blue blouse before walking over to the desk where her computer was at and grabbing the matching hunter green pants she had flung over them the night before.

Quickly getting dressed, she was tying her red tie to her uniform as she ran downstairs and grinned at the blonde man sitting at the breakfast table, "I'm off Daddy!" she said giving him a peck on the cheek, "You be good at the office today!"

"Believe it!" he grinned, then turned to the woman who was preparing lunches for both of them, "Hinata! I'm going to take everyone out for ramen tonight, since Ero-sennin is back in town!" he ruffled his daughter's hair, "You never met your godfather before!"

"I thought Iruka-sensei was my godfather," she said innocently.

He grinned, "No, your _other_ one! He's finally done with that research trip and he's been dying to see you, so ramen tonight!" he glared at her, "You'll have to tell Kurai and Taran that you'll meet up with them at the arcade tomorrow."

She smiled, "Daddy, I would never ever stand you up!" she grabbed her lunch from her mother and headed out the door on towards Konoha Academy.


	16. Book 2 Chapter 8

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Don't forget to vote for your favorite (clicky on my profile to see the poll). And after reading this week's Naruto chapter, I'm fairly happy! As of Chapter 482, my story is still considered canon! Well... if you stand on your head and squint. _

_Again, Naruto's characters are not mine, but the second generation is with a possibly on Sarutobi Aiko. _

_I swear, it would be so cool if Kishimoto actually named her that. _

_**Book Two, Chapter Eight**_

Taran went through the remainder of the chunnin exam preliminaries in a daze. It seemed that some of the other shinobi did as well, Shiro's win against Neko seemed to only be because the girl had an aversion to beetles. Kiyomi barely won her fight against Lian, who seemed to be bursting into tears every few seconds.

Neither he nor Jin seemed to be talking to Megami, the girl was sitting by herself after she had recovered her chakra network. Even her jonin instructor seemed to be avoiding her.

_You can't save everyone Hitori, _Taran glared at the Hyuga then his eyes drifted towards Kurai, _Some people aren't even worth trying to save_. He felt the tanuki in him agree as the bijuu attempted to rise to the surface.

_**Come on kid. Let me take him out for messing with her like that.**_

_I'm not even fighting against him yet. And we're not going to lose control._

_**Who says we wait until we fight him. I say make him scream now.**_

_And what if he's the only one who knows what was on that kunai? We wait. Calmly._

_**Not even a little scream?**_

_She would be angry with us then. Right now we need to concentrate on..._ A hand touched his shoulder, interrupting his internal conversation and he turned to see the sand twin who was pointing up at the board.

"Looks like your turn is up," Kiyomi quietly.

* * *

Hitori yawned loudly as she walked into the school and went to her locker. "You're late," Taran said quietly as he leaned against the lockers.

"Not yet," she smiled, "I still have one minute to get to my class before the bell rings." she grabbed his hand and rushed up the stairs.

"And why are you wearing the boy's uniform?" he managed to say as she dragged him along, "Didn't Asuma-sensei explain to you that you had to wear the grey girl's uniform?"

"But it's so drab!" she whined, "And Baa-chan said that it was alright!"

The two went into the classroom and took their seats just before the tone alerting the beginning of the day started.

Hitori rested her head on her hand and sighed, already bored with the day's lessons.

_**What are you doing here?**_ a deep voice prodded in her head, her eyes widened and she looked around, searching for the source.

A black fluttering caught her eye and she looked out the window, unconsciously standing up.

"Uzumaki. If you would be so kind as to take your seat," Asuma said from his spot at the front of the classroom.

Her cheeks burning at the snickers from some of her classmates, she sat back down and opened her notebook.

_**Wake up girl. This isn't real. **_That voice again, one she had never heard before...

...but why did it seem so familiar then?

* * *

"She's still burning up," Ino said quietly, "We have our best people looking at the poison that was found on the knife, but..." her voice trailed off as Neji reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of Hitori's face, tucking it behind her ear.

"You said that Megami was the one who struck her with it?" he whispered.

Ino nodded, "That's what Chozo said to me, and the medic team retrieved the kunai from her," she looked over her medical records, "Shikamaru will want to interview her... make sure it wasn't..."

"She wouldn't have used poison. Not like this," he sat down and took Hitori's hand, "There's more to this than we can see."

"You're right," Sai came in then, removing his anbu mask, "Did you know that there's a boy that looks remarkably like someone we used to know participating in the chunin exams?"

"Someone we used to..." Ino stared at him, "...who?"

"Who would want to hurt Naruto... and has... the most?" the artist nin sat down in a corner across from the other two.

Ino took a step back, "N...no it can't be him..."

"We all had children, why couldn't he have?" Sai pointed out.

"Because that would mean that Sakura was still alive somewhere you idiot!" Ino screamed shaking him, "And you said you _saw_..."

"Both of you," Neji said quietly, "Continue your fighting away from her."

Ino dropped Sai and went over to look at Hitori again, "Well... there's some good news," she said as she took a pen light and investigated closer, "She has eye movement... so even though she's not waking up, her brain is flitting around." she chewed her lip, "If we can do it without hurting her any further... and I don't want to risk it until she stabilizes a bit more... I can always try going in there and pulling her out."

Chi cawed then, and Neji looked up at the crow that was until now sitting quietly on the window sill, then turned back to Ino, "Let's save that as a last minute resort... we don't know what mental state she's in."

Ino nodded, "The fact that she's dreaming is a good sign though."

* * *

"Isn't life great!" Hitori said as she and Taran walked home, "We don't have school or anything tomorrow... you'll meet me at the comic book shop right?"

"Hn," he grunted as he nodded, "Kurai's not going to come is he?"

"You two need to get along better," she said grinning, "He's my cousin and he's not all that bad."

"He's as much your cousin as I am," Taran corrected her, "Just because your dad is friends with everyone doesn't mean you have to be."

"Sure it does," Hitori skipped ahead and turned back to Taran, "So you'll come right?"

He shrugged, "If mother doesn't need anything. Dad's out of town again." he waved as he went towards his house.

She waved back and continued walking home, whistling along.

_**Fight this!**_

She stopped, the same voice from earlier sounded in her head again, "Who are you?" she demanded whipping her head around.

Another fluttering of something black and she turned towards it, almost catching the...

A hand placed itself on her shoulder, "Hey there," she looked up to see a black haired man with glasses, "Hitori, you're headed to your grandfathers?"

"Uncle Obito!" she said happily embracing him in a hug, "No I was heading to my house," she stared at him, "Did you get lost again?"

He rubbed the back of his head, "Well... Rin and Kakashi were saying they would meet me there, but I just plain can't find them."

She sighed and took his hand, "Whatever will you do on your own Uncle?"

"Probably get crushed by a ton of rocks or something... the way my luck goes," he smiled as he followed her.

"That would never happen," Hitori retorted, "Where would you get under all of that anyways?"

She didn't see the man in the black cloak staring at her with tired black eyes, "So that's how it is," he said running a hand through his ebony hair, "But how to convince her of it."

His eyes softened, "And if..." he shook his head, "I have no right to even try."

Suddenly he was gone, replaced by a black crow who took to the air and followed after the girl.

* * *

It was late in the evening when Taran walked into the hospital room, "Hyuga-san," he nodded at Neji, "How is she?"

"She hasn't woken up yet," Neji said quietly, "So the preliminaries are over?"

The boy slowly nodded, "The second half of them were a joke... the first two fights were won through mere luck and my fight..."

_"I withdraw," Chouko said as she wrung her hands, "I don't want anything to do with this anymore."_

_Taran and the proctor stared at her. The jinchuuriki turned a deep crimson and leaped back to her team, but not before giving an apologetic look to Taran._

_He knew it wasn't her withdrawal that she was so sorry about._

"Just like that then," Neji said quietly.

"Yes..." he sat next to Neji and both stayed in contemplative silence as they watched the girl slowly breath through the oxygen mask.

"Have they found..." Taran started to ask, but Neji shook his head.

Chi started to flap his wings and caw loudly, and took to the air and flew around the room. They both stared at him for a moment until finally Taran went to the window and opened it.

The crow flew out and emerald eyes followed it, "He knows something," the boy whispered.

Neji closed his eyes and tightened his hand around Hitori's, not hearing what he had said.

Taran turned back to the room and inwardly sighed, _She better wake up soon._

_

* * *

_

Chi flew for hours, the sun was beginning to rise when he finally found his target and he slowly descended cawing to get the attention of the heavily cloaked and hooded man walking alone below him.

The man closed the book he was looking at and blue eyes looked up, "What are you doing here?" he exclaimed, "You're supposed to be wa..." he stopped and grabbed the crow and shook him, "What happened?" Not waiting for an answer he dropped him and started to run towards a place he never thought he would be able to face again... not after all that had happened...

The crow flew after him, cawing as the two raced to Konoha.


	17. Interlude Two

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **Well, with the Chunin exams almost over and Hitori in a fevered dream, we have come to another interlude... don't worry though, the Third Book will be beginning soon. _

_Don't forget to vote! Polls will be closing soon!_

_Naruto and it's characters are not mine, the second generation is... and until she's born in the manga, so is Aiko._

_**Hitori through the Looking Glass**_

_This life was perfect, that's all Hitori could say about it. Her parents were always happy and together, her school, while boring, had good teachers... most of whom she had known all her life and called Uncle or Aunt, her friends were all wonderful._

_Not a single complaint about her life._

_So why did it seem so wrong?_

_She chewed her lip, It's all that voice's fault._ She hadn't heard it after the last time, right before she had run into one of her Grandfather's students, but since then...

She kept noticing things about the world she was in. Like images of people behind whoever she was talking to... another version of them, one that seemed awfully familiar, but every time she tried to concentrate on them, they had disappeared.

And not pretty images either, ghostly apparitions. The first one was when she had gone to Taran's house and sat with Auntie Maya for some cookies. Out of the corner of her eye she kept seeing the kindly matron's _other_... lying on the floor as...

She shook her head, _that _one was gentle enough, compared to what she saw around Grandfather or Obito or...

A crow cawed overhead and she shivered despite the warm summer air.

_Just my overactive imagination, _she huffed as she entered the comic book store, not noticing the crow that landed on the store's roof.

She blinked at the pitch black in the store, "Hello?" she called out, "Gu...mmph" a hand covered her mouth as a arm wrapped itself around her.

"I don't have much time," the same deep voice from before whispered, "You've seen them correct?

The hand removed itself from her mouth and she struggled to turn around, to see the face, "Who are you?!"

"Not now," he said, "You have to break out of this dream."

She felt a brush of fingers against her temple, and for a brief moment saw blood red eyes with a strange spinning...

And then fell to the ground as she saw the rushing images... memories... _her _memories.

The comic book store reappeared and Hitori looked up, _This isn't real... _

"Are you alright?" a voice said above her and she tensed as she looked up into Kurai's face as he stood over her with a triumphant smirk.

"I'm fine," she lied as she rose up, and rushed out of the shop, looking around for the person she _knew _to be watching over her.

"Chi!" she called frantically as her body seemed to burn again and she collapsed, _This isn't real! _she screamed in her head at the perfectly manicured park she found herself in, the happy families going back and forth in the glowing dream.

"Hitori?" a gentle voice asked, and she looked up to see Hinata and Maya staring at her with a concerned sorrowful gaze.

"This isn't real..." Hitori whispered as she choked back a sob, tears forming in her eyes, "Mama... Auntie Maya... you aren't here."

Maya smiled sadly and Hinata's eyes watered as she nodded.

And then suddenly, like pieces of glass, the world around her shattered and Hitori found herself falling amidst broken tears, sharded memories, and black feathers.

* * *

She landed with a thump in a hallway full of pipes. Above her, there were small drippings leading to the puddles pooling on the floor.

Hitori stood and wrapped her arms around herself, "Where is this place?" she asked out loud as she walked down the corridor.

After she took a few steps, she heard a rumbling... some sort of deep breathing... of something very big. Chewing her lip she looked back, _There's no where to go. If I'm going to somehow make it back to Taran and them, I need to move forward._

Pale blue eyes steeled, she turned back and took a step forward.

A few meters later and she saw what was making the sound.

"No," she whispered, "He's not here." She stared with wide eyes at the giant orange fox with nine tails sleeping peacefully behind a sealed cage. "Chi, why is he here? Daddy's still alive."

She glared angrily at the kyubbi for another few moments before nodding to herself and walking forward. The bars of the cage were reached in a matter of seconds, and then...

She was past them. She looked behind her in panic when she realized that she had walked straight through the bars and didn't see the lazy red eye open and study her.

She turned back to the kyubbi, and the eye shut closed, but opened again when she ran past him to try the bars on the other side.

"No good," she whispered to herself, "I can't get back out." feeling the odd sensation of being watched she slowly turned her head back to the fox.

Whose eyes were closed as he slept. Hitori breathed a sigh of relief and slumped down, back against the bars, "What are you doing here?" she said quietly, "You're supposed to be in Daddy... he's still alive right."

For the first time in her life she had a small doubt about her father's incredible luck. She shook her head, "No this is another genjutsu or something. Like that dream world. This isn't real either."

Her body was burning up again, but she shivered, "It's the poison," she told herself, "Aunt Ino is most likely looking at me in the hospital now," she crossed her arms, suddenly she was so cold, even though she _knew _she still suffered from a fever.

A tail gently wrapped itself around her and she looked up to see the red eyes gazing at her.

_**Sleep.**_

She shook her head at the gruff unfamiliar voice, "You'll try and take me over."

_**I can't do anything in my state. My powers have been removed from me a long time ago.**_

"That's not true," she whispered, fighting lethargy as hard as she could, "You were in Daddy and you destroyed so much..."

_**I destroyed nothing since the night half of myself was sealed away in an infant. **_red eyes studied her intently, _**Sleep. You have no strength left. And the one guarding you can not reach you here.**_

"How do you know?" her eyelids grew heavy and she felt herself lie against the soft fur, "Why should I trust you anyways?"

She saw the barest glint of teeth, _**Because I swore revenge on the one that held me captive. Not on the human that sealed away my powers. If anything he made my vengeance a possible reality. **_

"That's not very reassuring," it was taking all her strength now to stay awake and watch the kyubbi with wary eyes, "Living for revenge isn't a good idea anyways."

_**Such an insightful kit. But so naive as well. **_

"I'm not naive," she mumbled as her eyes closed, "Uncle Neji, Uncle Gaara... both of them were hurt by revenge. It doesn't solve anything."

_**You'll fight me if I try to take my revenge then? Even if the one who I seek vengeance against is the one who will continue to try and destroy you and the ones you love?**_

She didn't answer, and the fox pressed his nose against her forehead affectionately as she slumbered.

_**You're luckier than your father, who was fated to house my powers and rage... even if I get those back I have no desire to break free and be trapped by that one again. **_

He gazed at the girl as his eyes closed.

_**Or perhaps not so lucky. It seems no coincidence that we meet now.**_

* * *

"Hitori!" Neji cried as he grabbed the girl in the hospital bed, "You can't..."

Taran only stared as the heart monitor made that one long droning sound as opposed to the steady beeps that were sounding from it only a second ago.

"Move!" Ino ordered as she rushed into the room with a team of medics, her hands already glowing with the pale greenish blue chakra that healers used.

The next few moments passed in agonizing eternity and Neji and Taran could only watch as the doctors and nurses worked on Hitori's still... _too_ still... form.

Her body jumped, and a faint cadence started on the monitor again.

"No good," Ino said quietly, "Her fever isn't breaking. And we haven't been able to decipher the poison... by all means it _shouldn't _have done this to her... not with what was in it."

"Then why is it?" Neji asked lowly. Ino whispered something in reply and the two adults carried on their conversation, not noticing the boy still in the room.

The sand jinchuuriki said nothing, just slowly walked back to the bed where his friend laid and took her hand.

_**If she dies...**_

_Shut up._

Something pecked against the window and Taran slowly turned to see Chi flapping his wings outside.

A moment later there was shouting in the halls before the door burst open and a cloaked man with his face covered in bandages stepped inside.

"Let me see her," the man said.

Neji started to settle into the gentle fist, "What more do you want to do to that girl?" he growled as he released the byakugaun.

Ino had already began her strike when the Hyuga gasped and grabbed her, causing her to tumble to the floor.

"Why did you stop me?" she cried as she gathered herself up.

Neji didn't answer, instead he walked over to the man and ripped off the bandages. They fell to the floor revealing the blonde hair... blue eyes... the whisker marks on each cheek.

"Gods above and below," Ino breathed, "B...but..."

Naruto didn't answer, just ran to his daughter's side, "What happened?" he choked out, "She was supposed to be safe..."

Neji and Ino couldn't explain, they were simply too stunned as they watched their friend cry over her.

"Damn it! She was never supposed to be one of their targets!" he hugged her body close to him, "I would have never stayed away..."

"...daddy...?" the voice was small and pitiable, but to Taran it was possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever heard as pale blue eyes slowly opened.

Ino covered her mouth as tears began to slowly fall and Neji stepped forward, "Hitori..."

"Uncle Neji," she slowly smiled as she looked at him and then her gaze turned back to the one holding her, "I knew he was still alive," eyes started to close again, and Ino walked over to her, hands full of the healing chakra.

"The fever broke," Ino said slowly, "I'm not sure how... but it seems that the poisons not running through her. I can't find any traces of it." she looked at Naruto and Neji, "It's a miracle of sorts."

Her face tightened, "Alright! You two out! She needs rest and she's not going to get it if you're both in here. Besides that," she poked Naruto, "_You _have some explaining to you. We all thought you were dead!"

The adults left the room, somehow forgetting all about Taran who was standing by the window. He opened it to let Chi back in the room and then settled down in a chair by Hitori, taking her hand once more.

She slowly opened her eyes at the contact and smiled, "It was a dream wasn't it?"

He didn't answer, just gently intertwined her fingers in his.

She sighed and her eyes closed again, "Such a strange dream too..."

The crow ruffled his feathers and gazed at the two children, as Taran briefly wondered exactly what _had _gotten rid of the poison so quickly.


	18. Book 3 Chapter 1

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN:** Welcome to the third book! Naruto or it's characters are not owned by me, though the second generation (with that possible exception on Sarutobi Aiko) are mine. Enjoy!_

_The poll is still open! I'll close one week from Valentine's day. Clicky on my profile to vote!_

_**Book Three, Chapter One**_

Now he looked more like the Fourth Hokage than ever before, though his blonde hair was a bit longer, pale strands constantly getting in his deep blue eyes. People were still staring at him, even though it had been a week since his return.

_I've come back from the dead. I would stare too, _he looked up at the small two-story house in front of him and checked the address. Nodding to himself, he took a key from his pocket and opened the door.

He smiled a bit at the bright red chrysanthemums that stood out in the otherwise white and pale blue living room and he walked over to the table that held them, noticing the pictures in frames placed all along it.

The first was one of Hitori, about five or six, with her hair in a pixie cut and grinning as she stood next to a stunned looking Taran, and the boys parents, Maya with a soft smile beneath her sparkling emerald eyes as she wrapped her arms around her son and the girl, and Gaara who was gazing softly at the others with the _barest _hint of a smile.

Naruto brushed his fingers on the edge and looked at the others, almost all of them were of Hitori and he sadly smiled, "I missed too much didn't I." His gaze stopped on the last picture, one of him and Hinata both smiling softly.

"Where have you been?" a lazy voice sighed, "My life wouldn't have been so troublesome if you hadn't disappeared like you did."

The blonde looked over at Shikamaru, "You make a better Hokage anyways. I lose control too much."

Shocked that Naruto had admitted it, the Hokage sighed wearily, "You still haven't answered the question."

"That attack... they were after her," he turned down the picture and looked at his old friend, "And they succeeded, but they needed me to finish it up."

"So you stayed away," brown eyes narrowed, "What do you mean they succeeded?"

"Dad didn't get the whole kyubbi in me. Madara still had the other half hidden somewhere."

Shikamaru gasped, "Then Hi..." then covered his face with his hand, "That poison... you idiot, it's a trap!"

"I know," Naruto's fingers traced against another picture of Hitori, this one taken after her graduation with her holding up her Konoha headband and grinning proudly, "But I decided not to run anymore."

* * *

"Man, it's been a long time," Kankuro said as he and Gaara walked up to the gates, "They seemed to have rebuilt it pretty close to the original though."

Gaara gave a slight nod, but didn't say anything.

"Hey do you think that those rumors are true?" Kankuro asked, "That..."

"Why do you think we came so early," Gaara said quietly.

The two walked in silence for a bit, heading to the Hokage tower.

"Kanky-sensei!" a cheery voice called, "Kazekage-sama!" the two turned to see Kiyoshi, with both arms wrapped in bandages close to her body, "I thought you two weren't supposed to come until closer to the main event."

"What happened to you!" Kankuro shouted, "And why didn't Kiyomi..." he froze and turned to Gaara, "Uh... why didn't..."

"Don't bother. I already knew," the Kazekage turned and headed to the tower alone.

"Oh! Taran's at the hospital still looking after Hitori!" Kiyoshi called after him, "And something really big happened here, but I'll let her tell you!"

Kankuro watched his brother leave, then looked at his student, "Why couldn't Kiyomi rebuild it?"

"It was a pretty clean cut on both sides," Kiyoshi's eyes momentarily darkened, "She's pretty shaken up by it too." she smiled, "But you're here now, so maybe you can teach her some new techniques. She's in the finals with Taran after all."

* * *

"How much longer am I going to stay here?" Hitori asked Ino as the medic nin examined her.

"Not much longer," the blonde woman smiled, "You seem to be getting stronger... it's like the poison wasn't even there."

Taran waited until she had left before saying anything to the girl, "Don't you think that's odd?"

"Yeah, but what can you do about it," Hitori sighed, "Everyone's still in shock about Daddy coming back to even worry about it," she grinned, "Hey don't you have to train or something for the finals?"

"I have been."

She puffed her cheeks, "You have not! You've just been sitting on the edge of my bed for this entire week."

"Meditation," a bit of sand flicked against her forehead, "A strong body is nothing without a strong mind."

The door opened and Neji walked back in, "I brought you some cinnamon buns," he said handing Hitori a box, "Since the hospital's food isn't exactly appetizing."

She grinned as she opened the box and bit into the first of the sticky rolls, "Are you coming with Daddy and me to get ramen after I get released?" she asked.

"Don't speak with your mouth full. And no, I have other matters to attend too," he smiled softly at her, "Besides, you need some time to catch up with him. I would get in the way."

"That's not true!" she insisted, then took another bite and regarded him for a moment, "You're going on a mission?"

He nodded, "I'll be gone for a few weeks, but I should be back before the finals. I leave in the morning."

Her pale blue eyes turned sad for a moment, but then she smiled, "Good luck then!"

The door opened again, "What did you do to your hair?" a quiet voice asked in surprise.

The three turned and Hitori grinned, "Uncle Gaara!" she exclaimed, jumping off the bed and embracing him, "It's been too long!"

* * *

The next morning Neji walked out of the front gates. A loud caw caused him to glance up to the top of the gates where Chi was, and he briefly smiled at the crow before placing his Anbu mask on and jumping away.

In the village, Hitori was leaving the hospital and walking to her home next to Taran, "Uncle Neji said that it was alright that you stay with us while you're here," she grinned, "Besides, Chozo told me that they took in Kiyomi and Kiyoshi, and Aunt Temari's gonna be with the Hokage, so you would be all by yourself otherwise."

"You do realize that my father and Uncle just arrived at the embassy," he replied quietly.

"Yeah, but your dad's staying with us too. And Kankuro's going to be working with the twins a lot," she chewed her lip, "You think he'll be able to help Kiyoshi out?"

He nodded, "If anyone can, it'll be him. I wouldn't be surpr..."

"Hey you're out!" Chozo said happily as he ran down the street towards the two, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Hitori said happily, "Taran told me about the rest of the exams... Congrats Shiro," she said to the quiet boy following behind his teammate, "Where are the twins?"

"They went with their teacher somewhere," Chozo took out a bag of chips, "We're about to go get some breakfast... wanna come?"

"Nah, I'm meeting Daddy at home and surprising him."

"So the rumors are true then," Shiro asked, "He is alive... and here." He stared at her quietly, "And you're not angry with him?"

"Why would I be," she asked, "He wouldn't have left if he didn't have a good reason."

Her teammates exchanged a worried glance, and turned back to her, "Well have fun then," Chozo said, "We'll go see what Lian and Jin are up too."

"Tell them I said hi!" Hitori grinned as they walked away, "And I'll come and help you train later okay Shiro!"

The Aburame waved in acknowledgement of her words, and Chozo called back, "You concentrate on getting strong again yourself!"

She skipped merrily along to her home, Taran trailing behind her, seemingly lost in thought as he regarded her with emerald eyes.

Whatever he was thinking was interrupted when Chi cawed and lazily glided down to Hitori's shoulder and the three entered the two story house that she and Neji had lived in since they moved to Konoha.

The girl was greeted by a large embrace, "Neji said you'll be getting out today! You should have let me pick you up!" Naruto said.

"I didn't mind walking," Hitori's eyes teared up, she was still having a hard time believing that this too wasn't simply a dream, "Besides Taran was with me." her gaze drifted over to the kitchen as she smelled hot cinnamon and dough, "You had breakfast already?"

"Neji brought it in before he left," Naruto said, "Something about an apology for leaving you."

She grinned, it had been a tradition since the two had returned, any mission that took her Uncle away and he would buy a whole boxful of her favorite pastry to apologize for it in advance.

And after he got back, she got to go to her favorite noodle stand for all the ramen she could eat while he quietly told her stories of her father.

_He won't have to tell me the stories anymore, _Hitori thought happily as she sat down across from him and Taran at the small table, _Daddy's here now and he's not going anywhere..._

A small part of her realized that this couldn't last, that Naruto's appearance now in combination with recent events meant something was about to go terribly, terribly wrong.

She poured herself a glass of milk and passed the jug to her father and grinned at her best friend. No matter how short this newfound happiness was going to be, she would enjoy it.

That was her nindo.

_

* * *

_

"So he's back," Kurai smirked as he leaned against the wall of the small abandoned house that he and his team were staying at, "And she's out of the hospital."

Neko nodded and looked at her notes, "When are we going to strike?"

"Father and his subordinates are going to be coming for the finale... thinking that we'll hand them over. We strike then," his obsidian eyes drifted over to Chouko who was hugging her knees as she stared at a spot on the floor, "What's your problem?"

"I just didn't like how we did it," she said quietly, "It's like we really are monsters."

"We are," Kurai went over and touched her shoulder, "And if you can't finish your part then I'll just put you out of your misery now... or have Neko do it since I don't need any beasts until the right time."

"I can finish it!" she said angrily, "I just don't like what we did to her. We could have had her come willingly! And One would have followed!"

"Do you really think so?" he shrugged, "It doesn't matter anyway."

Chouko shook her head and stood, "We should be careful at least. I'm willing to bet that the higher-ups already suspect us... if not outright know we're up to something," she shivered, "I wonder why they haven't acted yet."


	19. Book 3 Chapter 2

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto and it's characters are not mine, the characters I created for the second generation are. This is a work of love and not meant for profit._

_And boo. It's not canon anymore. Oh well, I hardly expected it to be. The way I handled Shukaku alone made it a bit different._

_Warning! Fluff and angst upcoming in this chapter!_

_**Book Three, Chapter Two**_

Kiyoshi flexed her fingers on her right hand as Kankuro finished his work on her left arm, "It feels a bit stronger than it was before," she turned to Kiyomi who was at a potter's wheel, "Are you sure you still want your weak sister around?"

Kiyomi didn't answer, just molded the clay beneath her hands into a bowl which became lopsided too quickly, "I never did have Mama's gift," she said quietly as the bowl turned into a mess.

Kankuro sighed as he looked at his prodigy, "You can't let this get to you Kiyo. Do you have any idea how many puppets I broke?"

"None of them were your sister," she growled, "And if I were in that fight with her then it wouldn't have happened."

"And how were you going to prevent it? If you were pulling strings she would have still gotten cut," Kankuro finished the mending, "So, what are you going to do?"

Cold grey eyes glared at him for a moment, before Kiyomi slowly nodded, "Then I guess you better teach me some more."

* * *

The moon was silent as the orange and black haired girl left her house and silently closed the door. She made her way through the streets of Konoha until she reached a training ground, one where her father had once became a ninja, one where a memorial stone silently watched the people of the village.

She didn't notice the crow landing on a branch near the clearing or the sand that snaked from the opposite side as she settled into her stance.

Hitori quietly went through the katas for the gentle fist, only vaguely aware that she was being watched but kept her eyes closed in concentration. This practice wasn't meant for fighting or for the byakugaun, just for strengthening her muscles and chakra lines and control.

And she needed the peace it brought her. Despite her cheery demeanor, her father's return caused a mess of different emotions that she was barely able to deal with, she felt both happy, that she had been right all these years and that he was back, but at the same time there was a sense of dread and despair. Despair over the fact that he hadn't been with _her_, and though she loved her Uncle Neji and would not trade her life for anything in the world, a small part of her wondered how it would have been if her parents were both alive and with her since the day she was born.

She shook her head as she lost her concentration, _It's that stupid dream's fault. I never doubted Daddy until then. _

A quick mental flash of the fox in her dream and the dread seeped back in and her movements in the kata became faster. _It was the fever... the kyubbi isn't in me. Not even a part of him._

Sweat poured from her and she faltered as the backs of her hands burned. She went to her knees and stared at the cross shaped scars that had not bothered her in so long, not since she had returned to Konoha.

She was still staring at them when a soft footstep alerted her to her watcher, and looking up she smiled sadly at the emerald eyes almost hidden in the black circles on Taran's face.

He didn't say anything, just squatted down next to her.

"Daddy was asleep and I needed to work some things out," she said as she sat up, "I didn't mean to disturb you," she chewed her lip, "Taran... I think I am mad at him, if only a little bit."

"It's only natural," he said in a whisper, "He left, and no matter what reason he had, it doesn't change anything."

Tears came to her eyes and she hugged her knees, "There's something else," she looked at him with her pale blue eyes, "I think I..."

Chi flew down then, interrupting her sentence by giving a loud squawk as he landed on her shoulder and pecked at her ear.

"You saw something in your fever that scared you," the boy said with an odd glance at the crow, "Hitori, whatever you saw in you... no matter what it was... doesn't change who you are."

"Then there is something different," she breathed staring at him.

A pained look washed over his face and he slowly nodded, "As soon as the poison left I could feel it. At first I thought it was your father," he reached over and gently wiped the tears away, "It's not very powerful but it's exactly the same as the chakra I feel from inside him."

"What should I do?"

"Keep sight of who you are," he smiled, "You'll have an easier time of it than I did, I never known you to let anything get you down." he reached into a large pouch on his belt and pulled out a small stack of papers, "Every letter you ever wrote is testament to that."

"You kept them?" she looked at him with wide eyes, "But there are so many."

"And every one of them saved me from falling into darkness. There were days that I could only get through by watching for that crow and waiting for the next part of your life." he looked down and sighed, "I think it even had an effect on Shukaku. He became increasingly less blood thirsty over time, even Father noticed."

"Taran... what are you..."

He bit his lip and stared at her for a long moment before reaching to put the letters back into the pouch and pulling out a small black case, "I had something made for you... I don't know if you want to keep it or not, and either way will be alright," his hand shook as he passed it to her.

She opened it and eyes brightened at the small dark gourd hanging on a silver chain. "You... had this made this for me?"

"I put some of the chakra infused sand that I use in it," he said nervously, "I know that may seem a bit strange but..."

"It's like the one Auntie Maya used to wear isn't it?" she said quietly, "Taran, I'll never take it off."

His eyes widened, "Do you really mean that?"

She smiled and her hands reached up to fasten the chain around her neck, "I mean it. This is my treasure now."

A slow smile came to his lips, "Thank you."

She leaned over and hugged him, "You idiot. You're one of my most precious people," tears came to her eyes again, "I missed you so much these past few years."

Neither one noticed the shadow watching them from the woods. Sand drifted up into the gourd on the Kazekage's back as he smiled to himself and walked away.

As he neared the streets of Konoha he almost collided with a frantic Naruto, "Hitori's not in her bed," the blond said as he almost panicked, "You haven't seen her?"

"She's fine," Gaara grabbed his long time friend's arm, "I'll treat you to ramen and then you can explain why you didn't think it necessary to tell me you were still alive all these years."

Naruto swallowed a bit at the tendrils of sand sneaking from the gourd, "It wasn't entirely my fault," he started.

* * *

Morning came and Hitori opened her eyes slowly to find herself leaning against Taran and still in the middle of the practice field.

"Better get up," he said quietly, "Your teammates are on their way here."

She yawned, "I bet Daddy was worried about me when he woke up and I wasn't there. When did I fall asleep anyways?"

"Sometime after you told me I was one of your most precious people," he gave her a wry smile as sand flicked her forehead, "You just collapsed against me then."

She blushed and jumped up, trying very hard to ignore his smug look, "I...I..."

"Hitori! There you are," Konohamaru said as he entered the clearing, "What are you doing over here, everyone's been looking for you."

"I was doing some katas last night," she said quickly as she ran past her jonin, "Taran was helping me with something."

"Well, where are you going?" he called after her.

"Home!" she yelled back, "I got to take care of a few things!"

Taran started to walk away, but stopped as Konohamaru clearing his throat, "Did anything happen?"

"Nothing that will affect her abilities as a shinobi," Taran said quietly, "We were just catching up."

He left then, and the jonin stared after him as Chozo and Shiro came for their training.

* * *

Kiyoshi rested her head on her hand as she watched Kiyomi and Kankuro train against each other. _She's getting much better. Good, she won't let this weigh her down._

A slight change in the wind alerted her to Temari's presence and she turned to look up at her jonin instructor.

"Kankuro. I'm going to borrow Kiyoshi for a bit," the woman called out to her brother, then turned to the sandy blonde girl, "I want to talk to you about this."

Kiyoshi nodded and followed Temari to the tea district of Konoha.

"How long?" Temari finally asked.

"Three years. A while before that Kanky-sensei had taken a mission to guard my mother's caravan of traders and artisans." the jonin nodded, "And he and Mama had gotten pretty close, so much so that he kept coming back whenever she placed the mission for protection. Kiyomi and I adored him and Mama..." a slight smile came to her face, "I think she was in love, but she had gotten sick."

"That was when he took both of you on as his students," Temari breathed, "I remember that, your mother died and he argued to Gaara that you both had talents as shinobi, despite never having been to the academy."

Kiyoshi nodded at that, a sad look in her grey eyes, "We were a happy family for a time after that, and Kiyomi was the one who showed all the promise as a puppet master. I was just good at cooking and cleaning, so I took care of all the chores while they practiced, and then three years ago," her face darkened, "Kiyomi and I were in the desert while he was away making a report to Kazekage-sama, and one day we went into a cavern looking for the source of some strange sounds. Kiyomi thought that there may be someone in danger, and we searched until the cave started to collapse."

"You pushed her out and gotten crushed didn't you," the older woman said.

Kiyoshi smiled, "She was my sister and she was the gifted one. My life meant nothing compared to hers. When Kankuro had found us, I was crushed beneath the boulders and Kiyomi was crying. I could still see... my face was not under the rocks, and Kanky-sensei asked me the strangest thing then. He wanted to know if I wanted to live and see my sister's dreams come true."

"So he made you a puppet, breaking every promise he made to Granny Chiyo as he learned those arts."

"I won't turn into Sasori," Kiyoshi assured her, "After Kiyomi leaves this world, I will as well and leave the remaining puppet to her heir. I have no desire for eternal life."

Temari smiled at her, "Until that day comes, you better not break again. She barely handled it."

Kiyoshi agreed, "She'll become stronger. She's the one who carries all our dreams after all."


	20. Book 3 Chapter 3

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Only the characters I created for the second generation are mine. Naruto and the characters from the original show all are not. This is a work of love and not meant for profit._

_**Book Three, Chapter Three**_

Hitori walked down the streets, Chi lazily flying after her as she scrunched her nose in thought, "I should get something for him," she said to the crow as he landed on her shoulder, "What do you think?"

He cawed in response and flapped his wings as he flew away, and her eyes followed a long feather drifting down to the ground. A smile came to her lips and she bent down to pick it up.

"I wasn't expecting to see you out so quickly," a smug voice said behind her and she turned to see Kurai leaning against a door frame and staring at her, "You're stronger than I thought."

"What're you doing here anyway?" she narrowed her eyes as she quickly stood and turned to him, "Shouldn't you be trying to grab Daddy now that he came back?"

"He's useless. We need the full Kyubbi to fulfill my father's plans, and so long as Naruto is still alive, we won't be getting it," he walked closer to her, "But there's a chance that the small part you carry can upset them enough... provided you're willing to come with me."

"Get away," she said as she took a step back, "Who the hell are you and your father anyways?"

"Now I swore I included that information in the genjutsu I had cast while you were in that fever," he grabbed her arm, "You belong to me Nine. You have ever since you were born, and any amount of running or fighting you do is meaningless."

Chi swooped down screeching then as Hitori planted her foot in Kurai's instep, and ran away as he let go in surprise.

Obsidian eyes followed her as she left and he smirked before turning and walking in the opposite direction.

* * *

Naruto grinned as he plopped down the box of water balloons, "I won't be staying around much longer, but I want to make sure I teach you this technique."

Hitori gently took one, and stared at her father, "What technique?"

"It's the family secret!" he said, then summoned a clone, "My father and teacher could both do it one handed, but Konohamaru and I found it's a lot easier to do this." the original held out his hand and after a moment, and the clones help, a swirling mass of spherical chakra appeared.

She gasped as she stared at it, "That's the rasengan?"

"You haven't seen Konohamaru use it?" he asked and she shook her head, "Then you're in for a treat!" he lobbed the ball at a rock and she gasped at the destruction, "And that's only the half-way done version!" he grinned, "The completed one is a lot more fun," his face darkened, "Though I've been asked not to teach it to you by Shikamaru. It's still apparently on the forbidden jutsu list."

"Daddy?" Hitori asked quietly, "You talk like you're about to disappear again."

He turned to her and ruffled her hair, "I have to Tor. There are some people after me, and they would use you..."

"This has to do with the kyubbi doesn't it!" she exclaimed, "And the small part of it that I have. Kurai from the Yume team... he's Uncle Sasuke's son isn't he?"

"No..." Naruto shook his head, "His father may have Sasuke's body, but it's not him," he chewed his lip as his eyes watered, "He died the same day that he fought Itachi!"

Chi landed on Hitori's shoulder and cawed at her father.

"Daddy... what aren't you telling me?" she whispered, "What happened the day that Kakashi became Hokage? Uncle Neji said that you had confronted Uncle Sasuke then... but what happened?"

He closed his eyes, "It was the only time that I almost gave up on someone..."

* * *

_Sasuke and Kakashi stared each other down as Sakura stood near Karin's too still body. Naruto burst in on the clearing, "Sasuke!"_

_"Hn." the black haired man snorted, "So everyone's here."_

_"Naruto, leave this to me." Kakashi said, "Get those girls and get out of here."_

_"I can't do that sensei!" the blond yelled, "You're supposed to be the Kage... no one else is there to lead Konoha until Tsunade wakes up."_

_"This is my duty as Hokage," Kakashi said, "Now get Sakura and that other girl and leave!"_

_Neither one noticed in their argument that Sasuke was running towards the two with a chidori in hand..._

_Suddenly there were black feathers and of all things..._

_Itachi stood between Kakashi and Sasuke._

_"B...but..." Sasuke stared, "How di..." his eyes steeled, "How dare you use a genjutsu of him Kakashi?!"_

_"I see him as well," came the surprised response._

_"Me too..." Naruto breathed._

_"That's because I'm not a genjutsu," an amused Itachi spoke, "This was the power I placed in Naruto all those months ago." He looked at his brother, "This is your last chance to escape Madara... take it. Return with them to Konoha, rebuild our clan." his eyes pleaded, "Your revenge was done with me."_

_Sasuke laughed, "MY REVENGE WILL NEVER BE DONE!" he lunged forward._

_Itachi closed his eyes, "I failed you then..." he turned to Kakashi, "This was my doing. If you are the Hokage, you must return. For once, let the Hokage live for Konoha, not die for it." he turned back to Sasuke, "Leave it little brother. There won't be a next time."_

_He flew towards Sasuke, and then..._

_The world turned black. Naruto felt arms carry him away._

_He woke up in the hut that Yamamoto had created, "What happened?"_

_"Itachi threw us out of the blast," Kakashi said quietly, "And then he and Sasuke disappeared."_

_"Sakura... that other girl... what happened to them?"_

_"I don't know. They disappeared," came his sensei's weary response, "I'm still confused as to how Itachi appeared like that."_

_Naruto ran out into the snow, "Hey!" he called out, "Was that the power you gave me?"_

_He wasn't sure what he was expecting in response, certainly not the droplets of blood that fell as a crow swooped down and stared at him before letting out a loud caw._

_

* * *

  
_

"What happened after that?" Hitori asked.

"Madara started the fourth ninja war," Naruto said quietly, "And we fought for a long time... eventually defeating him," he sat down, crossing his legs, "And we had peace for a while too... before the night after you were born and Kakashi and I both..." he shook his head, "Hitori... that small bit of kyubbi you have... it wasn't placed in you, you were born with it... I'm not sure how, because no part of the kyubbi is missing from me. I think it's a part of my dad's seal." he sighed, "I have no way of knowing though, I'm the first jinchuuriki to actually have a child."

"Uncle Gaara..."

"Doesn't count. The ichibi was removed _long _before Taran was born," he smiled and stood, "So you've got to be stronger than me Tor. Because when I die, you're going to get the _rest _of the kyubbi, and you have to be able to handle it."

She nodded, and stood up as well, taking one of the water balloons, "So... how do I learn this technique?"

* * *

Hours later she allowed herself to collapse against a tree, the first part of the lesson done. Naruto stared quietly a few feet away from his hiding place, "I'll wait until tomorrow to tell her the next part," he whispered.

Chi pecked at his forehead, and he smiled at the crow, "Thanks for watching her all these years. I know she couldn't replace him."

_**No. But I don't mind watching my cute little princess, **_the deep voice sounded in Naruto's head, _**I suppose I now know a thing about what fatherhood feels like, having been by her side all this time.**_

"Still, thanks..." Naruto sighed, "Between you and Neji... she turned out pretty good."

He hopped down and gently picked her up and hefted her to his back, "Come on Tor, let's get you home."

He smiled sadly at that, _How much longer will I have with her anyways?_


	21. Book 3 Chapter Four

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **Naruto is not mine, though the second generation is. And I have the CUTEST Naruto keychain!_

_**Book Three, Chapter Four**_

_Naruto picked up the battered crow and wrapped some cloth around the bloody chest, trying to somehow stop the red liquid from flowing._

_He couldn't say why... just something made him want to save the black bird. Some sort of strange feeling that it was all he could do to save Sasuke, though he wasn't sure exactly how. _

_A caw, and a fluttering of black feathers and the bird flew up and away from him as Kakashi and Yamamto came out of the hut to tell him that they were returning to Konoha with Lee, Sai, and Kiba._

_He nodded and turned towards them. Above them, in the trees, the crow watched quietly before slowly flying after them._

"Daddy!" Hitori poked him, "You were dreaming or something."

Weary blue eyes opened and regarded the girl in front of them for a moment, before he stood up, "Are you ready for the next lesson?"

"Sure," she grinned, "Chozo brought us some breakfast a bit ago too," she handed him a thermal cup of ramen, "Said that Ichiraku's sent it."

_

* * *

_

The weeks passed and soon it was the day of the final part of the chunin exams. The people started to pile into the stadiums, and yet instead of walking towards where he was supposed to be, Taran found himself drifting in the opposite direction, towards the training field where he knew Hitori to be practicing the new technique her father had shown her.

_**You're a hopeless romantic, you do realize that right?**_

_Shut-up. Besides, you're worse. You're the one who came up with the gift I gave her. _That was enough to send the Shukaku into sullen silence, and he inwardly gloated at the small victory, almost not noticing the girl who was running towards him.

Not until Hitori embraced him in a soul crushing hug and started to drag him towards the stadium, "Come on Taran, you don't want to be late!"

He followed her, almost too stunned to say anything.

Almost, "Are you angry that you can't join?"

She stopped then, letting go of his hand and placing her on her hips, "I don't have to be a part of it," she said quietly, then turned to him, "If you get chunin it'll be like we both passed right?"

Emerald eyes stared into the pale blue and when she brought her arms to his neck, he was shocked, yet happy, to feel her lips brush quickly against his.

She broke contact and skipped happily away, "You better not lose!" she called back, and he smiled, a hand coming to his heart.

It was then he felt the metal and looked down at the small golden-red feather that now hung from a cord around his neck.

_**Seems like she's a hopeless romantic too, **_came the tanuki's bemused voice.

_And you just had to ruin the moment. _Taran let the sand surround him and he went quickly to the arena.

* * *

Shikamaru yawned, ignoring the glare from Temari as the opening ceremony started.

"You can't be bored already," she hissed as she took her seat between him and Gaara.

"Troublesome," he groaned, "I hated this when I was a kid, I hated it when we were on the committee, and I hate it now. The only reason I even fought against you was that idiot pushed me over the railings."

"I'm glad he did," the blonde woman said as she resisted the urge to lightly smack him upside the head. Despite the fact that they were still married, it would be considered an act of war in such a public place, though she doubted any of the citizens of Konoha would hold her accountable for it.

Gaara for his part was trying very hard not to laugh at the two, "I had almost forgotten how well you two fit together," he said quietly, "Perhaps you would like to resume your diplomatic duties after the exams."

Before Temari could protest, she had a remark about her students needing her on her lips, a dark robed man took a seat below them.

"That's the leader of Yumegakure," an ANBU, Sai judging by the voice, whispered into Shikamaru's ear, and he nodded.

"Has Owl returned from the mission yet?" he asked.

The ANBU member shook his head, "Shall I try and gather..."

"Leave it," Shikamaru's voice dropped to a whisper, "If it is him, we'll find out very soon anyways."

Gaara quietly watched the exchange, "And what will you do then?" he asked after the ANBU member had left, "Will you tell Naruto?"

Shikamaru's hands folded in front of him, and both siblings recognized the signal that he was plotting the pieces on the board in front of him.

Below the opening ceremonies concluded and the first fight of the chunin exams began.

* * *

Kiyomi and Jin stared at each other across the field, "I'm not so easily amused as your last opponent."

"That's a shame," Jin smiled as he took out his scroll and paint brush, "I suppose I will have to fight for real this time." He flicked his wrist and two black lions appeared to either side of him.

"That's skillful," Kiyomi smirked, "So I suppose I shall have to fight your artwork with another," she flung a scroll from her back and opened it, revealing Sasori.

"But that isn't your work is it?" Jin smiled, "No matter how beautiful it is."

"Doesn't have to be," the puppet master retorted, "My work isn't good enough for a battle of this caliber."

"Such a shame," at that the intricately drawn lions roared and flew into the attack.

* * *

"Go Kiyomi!" Kiyoshi yelled from her seat beside Hitori and Chozu, before turning to the two, "Thank you very much for allowing me to sit next to you."

"It's nothing!" Hitori grinned as Chozu stammered and took out a bento box, "Besides you and I are going to be cheering on Taran together, so it makes sense."

"I just thought that you might want to sit next to your father," the older girl smiled, "You haven't seen him in such a long time and all..."

"He didn't want to come," the black and orange haired girl said quietly as she hugged her knees, "So there's no problem."

"There you are!" Aiko's cheery voice said as the red-eyed teenager ran up to hug Hitori, "I haven't seen you in so long! Shika and I were worried sick, weren't we?"

"Hn," the Hokage's son said quietly as he sat on the other side of Chozo, "How much of the fight did we miss?"

"Not much!" Hitori said as she was released from Aiko's hug, "Why?"

"Shh," the woman winked, "We're supposed to be taking notes on how they would fare as shinobi."

* * *

Kiyomi's grey eyes widened as she realized that her control over Sasori was slipping and more and more of the black inked creatures got pass her defenses, _Damn it!_

She flung back, and returned the red-head to his scroll, _That was my best one... how... _She chewed her lip and turned to the proctor, "May I make a request?"

An eyebrow raised, but he nodded, "There's another puppet I have... but she's a shinobi of the sand as well... can I call her down here?"

"If she's your own art, then I have no problem," Jin's smiling face said.

"She is... but I had help making her," she turned to the proctor, "I would be controlling the strings, she wouldn't be attacking on her own."

"One second," the proctor said before disappearing.

Both Jin and Kiyomi sat down, "You should have used her first," the boy smiled, "My father always said how important it was to use your own work."

"I bet your father is an ass too," Kiyomi growled.

"That puppet you had before doesn't like to be controlled. Even I can tell that. He's going to turn on you one day."

The proctor returned with Kiyoshi, "So we're going to try this?" she asked quietly.

"This ass won't let me fight unless I use something I made. And those arm repairs aside, I was the one who built you." Kiyomi stood, "You don't have a problem?"

"None at all, I was wondering when you were going to finish the job," Kiyoshi said, and the chakra lines connected into her back, "I just hope that our friends don't think any less of us."

Her eyes went blank and she turned towards Jin.

* * *

"I'm wondering how much of that was Kiyomi being goaded into it," Shika said, "Jin's always been a stickler for using your own work."

"Hmm... I wonder," Aiko agreed, "I'm surprised the Kages let her do this."

"She's Temari's student, so that might be why," Hitori mentioned, "But if she's a puppet master then there's no problem, you both know that Jin likes to fight people at their strongest." she glanced apologetically at Chozo, "Unless he considers you a close enough friend not to fight at all."

"That's fine," Chozo smiled, "Besides he and I were talking last night, and I mentioned that I like Kiyoshi. He's probably judging the quality there."

His teammate giggled, "Only he would think like that," then she turned serious, "It seems like Kiyomi has complete control over her now. I wonder what happened with the other puppet."

* * *

The fight continued and Kiyomi expertly controlled Kiyoshi's fluid movements through the paintings that Jin threw at her.

It almost seemed like the fight was won until...

Jin smirked as he brought his hands up, fingers making a window in front of his face, paint brushes left to the side.

Kiyoshi gasped as she felt the chakra lines falling from her, and turned to her sister, who was raising her hand in defeat.

A moment later, the smiling Jin was shaking their hands, leaving a dazed Kiyomi in his wake as he was declared the victor.

Both twins stared at the dark haired boy, "What just happened?" they asked in unison.

"He's a Yamanaka," the proctor explained, "And it looks like he just played you both."

Up in the stands, Hitori was hiding her face in her hands, "Maybe... maybe we should have warned Kiyomi..."

"I didn't even know Jin could _do _that technique," Chozo said in awe, "He's always painting... I never thought he bothered with his mom's stuff."

Aiko and Shika didn't say anything, just made notes, as a very dazed Kiyomi and Kiyoshi left the stadium and went to their seats passing Shiro and Kurai, who were the next participants in the match.


	22. Book 3 Chapter Five

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto is not mine, though the second generation is. And I think that all of you realize this._

_Eh, short chapter here, but a lot of stuff happens in it. And for the record, I'm not fond of action scenes._

_**Book Three, Chapter Five**_

Shiro wasted no time as he entered the arena, and the beetles started to flow en masse from his arms.

"It seems I made an Abruame angry at me," Kurai noted as his eyes flashed red, "I'll have to be careful in this match."

Nothing was said, he simply pushed up his glasses, and the kikaichu flew towards the other boy, who merely jumped out of the way.

* * *

"He's fast," Hitori noted from her spot in the stands, "But it doesn't matter, you can't outrun Shiro's beetles."

Chozo nodded as he ate a chip, "I wonder if the girl bug is already on him."

They continued watching the beetles follow Kurai around the stadium as Shiro ducked into the cover of the trees on the edge.

"This might end up being a long fight, but I don't see him losing," Aiko said as Kiyomi and Kiyoshi came to sit with them.

"Good. At least one of us will win," Kiyomi said crossing her arms.

"Oh don't be that way," Kiyoshi smiled, "Taran hasn't fought yet, remember?"

Her twin grinned at that, "He's not going to be as forgiving as you Hitori," she said wrapping her arms around the younger girl, "You should have seen the look on his face after you got poisoned."

"I don't want Taran to be angry on my behalf," Hitori said, "I should go talk to him some more." she rose from the seat, "Cheer on Shiro for me alright!" she called behind her shoulder as she ran to the waiting area of the stadium.

"She's got it bad, don't you think Shika-sweetie," Aiko smiled.

"Troublesome," he said as he continued watching the fight below.

* * *

The ANBU with the long hair and owl mask landed in the field outside of Konoha, and looked placed a gloved hand on the bodies, "They're like the others that were in the ruins of Yume," he said, closing the eyes of the dark haired girl, "But what could he have possibly have to gained from..."

Coughing interrupted him and he turned to the green-haired girl, "You're still alive!" medical chakra flowed to his hand and he bent next to her.

"Not... for much longer..." Chouko gasped, "He took the bijuu... there's a dagger that was made like..."

"Who took them?" The ANBU tried to keep the girl alive.

"I had the seven tail... that's why I..." she coughed, "Kurai just wanted to..." her eyes closed, and he took away the hand that was trying to heal her.

He brushed his fingers against her temple, as a last respect, and when his partner came into view, a woman with a mask decorated like a wolf, he stood, "We have to get to the stadium... if this and Yume is any indication then they are after the Kazekage's son as well."

"Naruto too," the woman pointed out, "If it's the bijuu..." her voice trailed off as her partner jumped away, "Wait!" she said taking off after him.

* * *

"Taran!" Hitori said happily as she spied him standing next to Jin below from her spot on the balcony.

Gasps from the stadium sounded and she turned her head to see what had caused them, "No... Shiro!"

He laid down on the ground, his beetles scattered around him, glasses pushed away. Her eyes drifted to Kurai.

The eyes were completely unmistakable now, though she had only seen them before in fevered dreams. Blood-red with the spinning black.

Above her the whispers had already started, "Uchiha! But they were all..."

She kept her eye on the glowing chakra in his hands, the one that sounded like birds. "Grandpa Kakashi's..." her hands flew up to her mouth, "Only Uncle Sasuke was taught that..."

She started to run forward, somehow to try and help her teammate, but was stopped by strong hands, turning she saw the ashen face of her father, Chi sitting quietly on his shoulder, "Shiro's all right, the medics are already taking him off the field." he said soothingly, "You can't go out there Tor."

"He's..." she chewed her lip trying to think of what she was saying, "But he's..."

"Sasuke's son, I know..." Naruto's blue eyes drifted to the dark figure sitting beneath the Kage's, "But I've been asked not to do anything right now, not until we're certain of what they're after."

"Don't worry," Jin spoke then, and she saw him standing next to her, "Taran's strong enough to take him on, and he said the Uchiha is using the same tricks as his father did. He'll win."

"You withdrew?" Hitori asked.

Jin nodded, and looked towards the field where Taran and Kurai were staring down each other, "I can't beat him. And right now, after he hurt Chozo's girlfriend and manipulated Megami and nearly killed you and Shiro, that's what we need."

"You can't," she leaned over the balcony, "Taran! Be careful! He's goading us into making a mistake!"

If he heard her, he made no acknowledgment of it.

* * *

"She's right you know," Kurai said, his eyes returning to their obsidian state, "I'm after something much bigger than the title of chunnin."

"You won't achieve it," Taran said quietly, "This ends here."

Sand rose up from the gourd and Taran leaped into the attack, not giving the Uchiha boy time to think.

His eyes flared red, and his hand glowed in the same technique as the one used to defeat Shiro.

_**Careful boy, that's what his father used. It's fast enough to get us.**_

_It won't do him any good. That's why we worked so hard this month, remember?_

The chidori came forward, and sand wrapped around the wrists that held it.

* * *

"How was he able to counter something that hasn't been used in years?" Shikamaru asked, and Temari and Gaara exchanged a quiet look between the two of them.

"The Shukaku isn't like other bijuu," Gaara finally said, "He remembers."

Below them, the leader of Yume got up and started to walk out of the stadium.

"You stay here," Naruto said quietly as he noticed, and went to follow him. Hitori nodded and watched the fight.

* * *

Kurai's eyes widened as the sand hit him from below, contacting with his stomach, and causing him to cough up blood.

Taran jumped back, _See I can do this without your help._

_**It ain't over yet! **_

At that Kurai threw himself forward at the ichibi's container, throwing kunai which landed against a dome of sand.

_**Something's not right!**_

It was the only warning Taran had as the sand that contacted with the kunai shattered down in tiny grains.

Kurai smirked as he came closer, "What happens to you when you can't control sand?" he said, taking the kunai before it hit the ground.

Emerald eyes narrowed and Taran leapt forward. Red eyes smiled in triumph as the kunai in his hand came down and contacted.

The jinchuuriki's eyes widened as he was threw back, and saw the anbu mask drop and looked up at the long hair.

"Uncle Neji!" Hitori cried out as she saw the blood start to seep out from where the kunai was stuck into his chest.

Kurai looked up at her, then took the kunai, and vanished. The orange streaked haired girl jumped down and ran towards the older Hyuuga as the arena started to erupt into chaos, Chi frantically cawing after her.


	23. Book 3 Chapter 6

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

**_AN: _**_Naruto is not mine, though the second generation is._

**_Book Three, Chapter Six_**

_"Sasuke!" _Naruto called out, then shook his head as the man in front of him stopped._ Damnit, it's not him! He died in that war._

Blue eyes steeled and met the swirling red eyes, "It ends here." even the kyubbi's container was surprised at how low and how much conviction was in his voice, "You're not going to play with anyone else's life _Madara_."

"And you haven't played with their lives? Not that princess that killed herself waiting on your return, or that little girl?" Madara's face broke out into a grin, "Not even the whole village? It wasn't _my _power that destroyed it the last time after all."

Nothing was said as Naruto pulled out a scroll and summoned a clone, which then dispersed as his eyes changed to the sage state.

Madara smirked and the two ran towards each other.

* * *

The medics got to Neji and strapped him to a stretcher. Hitori numbly started to follow when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

Looking up she saw Gaara standing next to Shikamaru. A bit further away Tenten stood, holding her anbu mask.

"You and Taran are going to a safe place," the Kazekage said.

"But we're shinobi too!" she started to argue, "It's just one team..."

"Kurai's teammates were discovered a little while ago," Shikamaru stated, "Until we can find out exactly what he and his father are up to, you two are under strict watch," he narrowed his eyes at her, "Don't argue. Yamato..." here a jonin jumped down, one Hitori recognized as the kindly older man who had always given her sweets and small wooden toys when she was growing up.

"But Uncle Neji," she started again, knowing she couldn't win against the two kages, but still...

Gaara ruffled her hair, "He'll be fine. I'll go in your stead."

"It'll be fine Hitori," Yamato smiled, "Think of it as special training."

She chewed her lip still considering running after Neji when sand wrapped around her and she felt herself being lifted, "Wha..."

Taran crossed his arms, and shot a glare up at the Hokage then at Yamato.

"This way," the ex-anbu captain said, leading the two children out of the stadium, Taran carrying Hitori in the sand as he walked after him.

"Troublesome..." Shikamaru sighed, "Well then... Tenten put your damn mask back on and go look into where that idiot ran off to."

"He's at the same place as the one borrowing Sasuke's body," Gaara said quietly as he walked away, "I'm more worried about where that boy is hiding."

* * *

"What's going on?" Chozo asked as Jin came running to where they were, "All we saw was the anbu jumping in then the whole arena was covered in sand."

"Whatever it is, it's something big," Kiyoshi said quietly, "That's the Kazekage who did it."

"Hitori jumped in there after it happened, so she saw whatever it was," Jin said, "I was told to come and meet with you."

Kiyomi glared at him, "Whoever told you that."

"I did," Temari said placing her hands on her hips, "Stop being a sore loser, you guys are about to take a mission together," she thunked her son's head, "Shika, you Chozo and Jin are in charge of finding and capturing Uchiha Kurai. Aiko, Kiyomi, and Kiyoshi, you three serve as back-up just in case."

"Wait... what about Hitori and Taran?" Chozo asked, "Are they alright?"

Temari smiled a bit, "They're fine, Konohamaru and Yamato are going to be giving them some special training."

"Which means that they're the targets," Shika said, yawning, "Alright, let's go."

They nodded and jumped off, Aiko stayed behind a moment to look at Temari, "He really did miss you," she said smiling.

"Now's not the time," the sand woman said, then sighed, "Just... keep taking care of him alright."

Aiko nodded and jumped away to join the rest.

* * *

"Taran," Hitori said as she stuck out her tongue, "I can walk."

"You were going to disobey and follow after Neji anyways," came the quiet response, "I'm just keeping you out of trouble."

Yamato stopped in front of them, and nodded to the memorial stone and the jonin standing in front of it, "Go ahead and put her down."

Hitori hit the ground with an ungraceful thud and glared at the ichibi container.

"Seriously, can't you stay out of trouble for one minute?" Konohamaru asked, "I thought you were trying to get stronger so we wouldn't have to baby-sit you."

"Who told you to anyways!" she retorted, "Taran and I can fight, we should be going after Kurai and..." a sharp caw cut her off and she whipped her head around to see Chi gazing at her from a tree branch before the crow took to the air and flew off.

"And?" Konohamaru asked, but the girl ran off, "Wha... Wait! Where are you going now?"

"Daddy's in trouble!" she called back, "We have to help him!"

"But Naruto wasn't told..." Yamato covered his face, "Damn it, he would. Come on," he followed after her.

* * *

Shika glanced up at the clouds as the group landed, "Any leads at all?" he asked Aiko.

She sighed, "This would be easier if Shiro or Hitori were with us. But there's a slight chakra signature trail here..." she squinted, "It's leading to..."

Red eyes widened, "There's two huge chakra signatures about five clicks east. The trail we're following is headed straight for it."

"Can you tell who it is?" Chozo asked.

"It's familiar, but it feels like I only know it from a very long time ago..." she scrunched her nose, "I think I was a baby when I last felt one of them, back in the fourth ninja war."

"And the other?"

"It's a lot like Hitori's, but it's not hers so it's most likely her father," she looked at Shika, "Should we still proceed?"

"You heard my mom, our mission is to track and capture the Uchiha. Besides from what Dad said about Uzumaki, it's possible that he bit off more than he could chew," Shika squatted down and looked in the direction Aiko pointed, "Alright, we keep following it. Kiyomi and Kiyoshi you two watch our back, Chozo, Jin, you're in front with Aiko."

* * *

Kurai ran threw the woods, _Nothing's going according to plan. Did he really suspect me from the start?_

_His father had appeared last night, and immediately stabbed Neko before tossing the kunai to the ground. "You won't need them to carry all the beasts for you anymore," he said as the dark haired girl gasped and bled to death, "I had this kunai made especially for you. Now if you really wanted to upset my plans, you would kill that other girl with you and collect the last two tomorrow."_

_He vanished at that, leaving Kurai and Chouko looking in horror at Neko's body. _

_The green-haired girl moved first and went to grab the knife, "It's true," she whispered, doing all she could to hold onto the kunai, "They're all in here, except for mine, Taran's, and the kyubbi."_

_He took it from her, "If Madara gave it to us, then it's a trap. We can't trust it."_

_"But we haven't done much better Kurai, maybe we should take a chance..." she chewed her lip, "You need the eyes too right?"_

_"We do this my way," he said, "That poison already worked, the other half of the kyubbi is here. And you can take on the ichibi no problem."_

_She nodded and turned away from him._

_He stared at the kunai, not noticing the small slivers of chakra headed towards him or the blood red eyes watching him._

_Everything went black. When he came to, she was lying at his feet, with her blood on the kunai in his hands. He looked up._

_Madara smirked at him, "You won't get far if you're not willing to kill those closest to you. You want revenge and power... then come and get it."_

_Kurai ran after him, but the other Uchiha just disappeared leaving nothing but black flames behind._

"Damnit, I thought that if I could get the ichibi..." he narrowed his eyes, "But if the kyubbi container is fighting him, I can get both at once." an evil smile came to his lips, "And once I kill him, and get the tailed beasts, I can remake this world the way it's meant to be."


	24. Book 3 Chapter 7

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto is not mine, though the second generation is._

_**Book Three, Chapter Seven**_

Both groups of nin came onto the scene at the same time, just in time to see Naruto with a rasengan and Sasuke with a chidori running towards each other.

Yamato and Konohamaru realized that it wasn't really him, but it was the second time they both saw the exact same scene... the first time being years ago at the end of the war...

_The two jutsu crashed into each other, and there was a blinding light. _

_In the aftermath of it, there were those who forgot to breath in looking for any sign of the survivor... but both of them stood, and turned to each other._

_"I see your point," Sasuke had said as he smiled. Naruto just grinned and the two clasped hands. The onlooking nin almost cheered then, it seemed that the long battle was almost over._

_But it wasn't to be... Madara had started the last assault then. _

_Sasuke had turned towards the Uchiha elder with fading obsidian eyes, "Get everyone out," he said to Naruto, "I'll take care of him."_

_"Bu..." the blond said._

_"I have to," and it was then that Naruto noticed the blood coming out from his friend's side, "I won't have much longer anyway... give me this chance to redeem my actions."_

_"How far away?"_

_"As far as possible."_

_Naruto nodded and formed the all-too-familiar cross seal, and literally millions of his clones appeared, all jumping and grabbing an allied-nin before the entire lot was summoned to Myobokuzan._

The two jutsu collided as the onlookers found they couldn't move... could barely breath in the aftermath of the storm.

All except Hitori, her legs still found the will to work and she ran towards the two, "Daddy!"

She was grabbed by dark clad arms, "You can't go there," a tired voice said, "It's not your fight."

"Let go of me Chi," she whimpered, "I ha..." wide pale blue eyes stared at where the blond nin was beginning to collapse.

Madara stood over him, chidori still fluttering in his hand, a triumphant smirk on his face as he looked over at the girl and the man holding her, "That's the existence you chose? You're nothing but a ghost like that... and your time is almost up."

"I spent it making up for my crimes," obsidian eyes narrowed, "You've only served to further taint our name, further drag my brother down."

He was answered with laughter, "Our name was tainted long ago... and as for your brother, he chose this!"

"That's a lie," a new voice said, and Hitori's eyes widened once again at the gaping hole in Madara's chest, the chidori being held by the one who did it.

"No," Naruto groaned, "Don... Kurai... don't go down that path..."

Arms tightened around her, "You will get this one chance," Itachi said lowly, "Leave. Before the others can move again get yourself out of here. You're free of him, use the opportunity to live your own life."

"As expected of my uncle, you still talk of peace... even when you were the one who drew your sword and slaughtered every man, woman, and child in our clan." Kurai stared at Hitori, "In kindness for your loss... I will give you four years. Then I will come for you and the ichibi." he turned back towards his father, and drew his sword.

The head flew away, and Kurai vanished.

Air returned to the clearing and Itachi was no longer there, though Chi followed Hitori as she continued the distance to her father.

The two jonin rubbed their eyes, unsure of what had just transpired. The gennin and chunin looked at each other confused, just a moment ago Naruto was fighting, and now he laid on the ground dying, his foe beheaded... what had happened?

Taran was the only one who kept his stare fixed on Hitori as she knelt beside her father, trying some way to stop the blood, "Aiko!" she called out, "Hurry!"

The red-eyed chunin nodded and ran forward, medical chakra in hand. She turned grey as she got to Naruto though, "Hitori... it's no..."

"No Daddy," the girl cried, "You never gave up! You even came back after all those years, you can't be giving up now," she grabbed Aiko's hands, placed them over the bleeding wound over his heart, "She's a medic! Ino trained her, she's really good! So you can't be giving up!"

A calloused hand raised up to her face, "I'm not," the blond smiled, "I'm trusting in you Tor... that's not giving up."

"Don't talk," she cried, "You..."

"Listen for once will you," he said reaching up to brush away her tears, "It's too late for me, I'm going to where Sasuke and Hinata and everyone is waiting on me. You've got to carry on our will... it's a big burden, but..." his blue eyes faded, and she gripped his hand, "You're strong enough to do it."

His eyes closed as his hand fell limply from her face, "No!" she yelled collapsing against his chest large sobs wracking her body.

The chakra from her hands faded as Aiko went to her friend, tears in her eyes.

Sand stopped her, "Wha..." she looked over at Taran.

"It's dangerous," he turned to Yamato, "Get ready."

"What do you mean?" the red eyed girl yelled, "Her father jus..." her mouth was covered by Shika and then she noticed the tendrils of red chakra leaking out of Naruto's body, "My gods..." she whispered.

The Nara turned to the team he was leading, "We need to go back and report. All of us, no exceptions."

"Bu..." Chozo started, and swallowed at the glare he received. No one else had any complaints and they jumped away, and he gave a worried glance at Hitori before he followed.

"Taran you should go too," Konohamaru started.

"No," he said, "She was there for me the entire time... I'm not leaving her." Chi flew up and landed on his shoulder.

Both jonin stared at him for a long moment, then turned to Hitori, who had taken no notice of the red chakra even when it had started to fade into her. Yamato readied the wood seal...

But it wasn't needed. The chakra disappeared, and the girl never seemed to know. Taran walked over to her then, and knelt beside her, "Hitori... we need to go..."

"Help me carry him," she whispered, "I've got to at least take him back."

He nodded, and was about to help the girl lift her father up.

"We'll do it," Yamato said as he used his wood technique to seal a box around Naruto, "He was our friend as well," Hitori looked up at him and Konohamaru, and, seeing their ashen faces, nodded.

Above them, the rain started to fall.


	25. Book 3 Chapter 8

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto is not mine, though the second generation is. _

_**Book Three, Chapter Eight**_

It was still raining at the funeral, a slow and steady rain that seemed to echo the tears everyone had.

Hitori stood quietly at the memorial stone after everyone had left, her eyes strangely dry, one of the few sets that were.

She watched as Teuchi and Ayame placed a bowl of pork miso ramen down next to the sake that Shizune had brought. Other villagers came with small reminders of the blond shinobi.

Kiba had somehow found the old photograph of Team Seven.

"He asked me to," the canine nin said to the girl as she looked at him in wonder, "I think he knew..." Akamaru whined a bit, and he turned to the old dog, "We had to sniff it out of some old debris, but I know that he wanted you to have it."

She took the picture in it's shattered frame gingerly, "Is there an old picture of Mama's team?" she asked in a small voice.

He nodded a bit, "I always carry one with me. Shino and I sometimes meet up and talk about those days." he handed it to her, "We were angry at him for the longest time, but..."

She smiled, "Daddy would have just taken your punches," her lip quivered, "That's just how he was."

He placed a hand on her shoulder and walked away leaving her looking at the two pictures. Strangely, though she felt like screaming and yelling, she still stood silent, with dry eyes.

The tears had stopped coming as they drug her away from his corpse, now as she stood at his memorial stone, they just didn't flow.

She folded the two pictures so that it looked like her parents were standing next to each other and smiled very briefly, there weren't that many pictures of them together, she and Neji had one of the only ones at their house.

Now there wouldn't be any. She looked up at the stone, with the many offerings from everyone he had ever affected, many of whom she had never met, littered the ground. More people came and went, the procession lasting for hours, all of them clasping her shoulder as they left.

A tired call from Chi, and she nodded, clapped her hands, and offered a silent prayer for her father, for his friend, and for her mother. Clapping again, she bowed and left the memorial.

* * *

"How was the funeral?" Neji asked as she laid her head on the hospital bed he was in.

"I didn't know Daddy had touched so many people," she whispered, "I mean, I had heard and everything, but to see everyone come..."

He patted her head, "That's the legacy he left you," she looked up at him, "Your father was loved greatly by those who knew him, even those who once considered him an enemy. He somehow got under our skin, and every time he showed us that we could be better."

She nodded, "I don't know if I can live up to that."

"You can try," he smiled, "That's all you need to do." he looked over at the door where he noticed Chozo and Kiyoshi peeking in at her, "Your friends are waiting on you... Taran is heading back to Suna tomorrow, you should try and spend some time with him instead of worrying over me."

"They were probably visiting Shiro." she smiled though, even if it was a sad one, and kissed her uncle on the cheek before leaving.

It was a long moment before any of them spoke as the three walked out of the hospital, and it was Kiyoshi who broke the silence, "Shiro's doing much better. They said something about having to take him back to the clan home to reintroduce the beetles though."

"That's good," Hitori chewed her lip.

"He asked about you," Chozo said, "Hey, do you want to get some cinnamon buns?"

She stared at him for a moment, vaguely remembering that it was her favorite food he was asking about, an attempt to make her feel better.

"M...maybe later," she whispered, "Um... is it alright if I catch you guys later? Your dad's cooking a dinner tonight for everyone right?" the plans were made before the chunin exams had started, back when the two teams had met, Chozo had invited everyone to his house for a banquet before they had to go back to Suna.

At the time it sounded like a great idea... before everything...

"Yeah he's still doing that," Chozo said quietly, "Jin and Lian are coming too," he reached into his pocket and handed her a bag of chips, "Be there at eight alright."

She nodded, and ran off, leaving the two alone.

"Should we go after her?" Kiyoshi asked.

"Nah," Chozo stared after her, "We're not the ones who can talk her through this."

* * *

Hitori ran through the streets of Konoha, then jumped to the roofs, not even sure of where she was going, just that she had to go _somewhere._

She ended up on the Hokage monument, right on her grandfather's head, and she collapsed down, hugging her knees and burying her face in them.

"You're really going to sit around and mope?" Taran asked as he came to stand next to her.

"Like you can say anything," she retorted, "I remember Uncle Gaara having to force feed you after Auntie Maya died, and you cried for _weeks._"

He sat down, "Yes, but I was seven then, and very much in love with my mother. That and she was the whole world to us. You remember."

She nodded, "Yeah, she was always with us wasn't she, and those walks we took," she giggled, "Do you remember how we delivered lunches and Grandfather Ebizo would always slip those carved animals in my pocket before his nurse chased us out."

"There's still the mad rumor that he finally gave up on life because he could no longer have my mother's cooking," Taran said quietly, "Hitori... your father came back now for a reason."

"I have to be strong," she said venomously, "I have to carry on his will... damnit, Taran I've been hearing it all day." Tears did finally come to her eyes, "All I ever wanted was my Daddy, and he finally came back and he..." she couldn't finish, and her face turned back to her knees, "Why did they have to fight anyway? What's so damn important about who has the bijuu anyways? What the hell were Kurai and his father doing?"

He chewed his lip, then taking a deep breath, wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed into his chest.

"Your daddy came back because he was worried about you." a new voice said, an elderly one, and both children stared in wonderment at the old toad, leaning heavily on a cane, "When that ghost of a crow came and told him about your being sick, he rushed back. And in that he realized he had to finally finish that fight he started so long ago." he hobbled over, and reached into a pocket, "He wanted you to have this," he handed her an old, dog-eared book, "And when you're ready... Myobokuzan is waiting."

She clutched the book, "But... I don't have a contract with the toads... Daddy said he was going to let me sign it after we finished the rasengan training."

"That's not a problem," Fukusaku smiled sadly, "If memory serves, that Konohamaru has a contract with us, ask him and he'll get you to sign it." he pointed to the book, "Read that first. All of your father's hopes and dreams are based in that book. If you're going to pick up the fight from him, then you figure out what it was he was fighting _for._"

With that the toad disappeared, leaving Taran and Hitori staring at the volume in her hands.

"_The Tale of the Gallant Ninja..._" she looked at him, "Have you ever read it?"

He smiled and nodded, "I won't spoil it for you." he stood, "I'll see you tonight at the Akimichi residence?"

"Yeah, I'll be there," she smiled softly, the tears finally ebbing, and she turned back to the book, and opened the first page, "_The Tale of the Gallant Ninja..._written by Jiraiya... dedicated to the children of this violent world..." she continued reading in silence from her perch over the village.

Above her, Chi watched her quietly from his branch.

* * *

"Are you sure she's coming?" Choji asked his son, as he glumly finished setting out the dishes.

"I don't know..." Chozo said just as glumly and Kiyoshi smiled gently at him from where she was sitting next to her sister.

"Will you two stop, it's getting annoying," Kiyomi grumbled.

"I think it's interesting," Jin said as he scribbled in his sketchpad, "The puppet shows more compassion than the master."

"How the _hell_ did you defeat me," came another grumble, "Still... you think that Taran had a chance to speak with her?"

"It would make the journey back a bit more pleasant," Kiyoshi noted, "But I don't know." She surveyed the rest of the guests, many of the adults that were in Naruto's age group were talking together, and even though she noted laughter coming from them, their eyes were sad and tearful. "They must be telling stories about his life," she mused, "I wonder how much of them they told to Hitori."

"Nearly all," she looked up to see Aiko standing next to them, tears still in the red eyes, "As soon as she set foot back in this village, she sought everyone out for stories."

"Do you think she'll come here tonight?" the sand puppet asked.

The red-eyed girl shook her head, "No... but she'll most likely be at the gates in the morning, doing her best to give you a cheerful goodbye. That's just how she is... just like how _he _was."

They didn't notice Taran taking a bento box from Choji after a hushed conversation, or the older man smiling at the boy, "Take care of her for us."

He slowly nodded and disappeared in a swirl of sand.

On top of the hokage monument, where he had left her earlier, Hitori was still reading, activating her byakugaun to read in the dim evening light.

"Wouldn't it be more efficient to carry a flash light?" he asked sighing.

She jumped and turned towards him, "I... I suppose... but I didn't grab one on my way out this morning, and I really didn't want to go back into the..." she stopped as he tossed her one from his pockets, "Thank you."

He set down the bento, "You do know everyone is worried about you?"

"Just a little longer, then I'll go back and talk to everyone," she smiled, "I think I see what Grandfather Toad was saying about this book though... it does have Father's dreams and hopes in it."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I haven't fully decided yet, but I'll be able to tell you in the morning," she looked up at him, "Don't leave without my saying goodbye alright."

He nodded, then the sand came and he was gone.

* * *

"Taran... she's not coming," Kiyomi said, "We should get going..."

"No," he said, "You two can go ahead, I'll wait." the twins gave each other a look, and nodded.

"Catch up quickly," Kiyoshi said, "We still have to make a report." the two ran after Temari and Kankuro, who had left a few moments ago.

Gaara stood quietly by, watching his son, "She promised you?"

He nodded.

"Then she'll come."

The words barely left his mouth when the girl in question jumped in between the two of them, "I made it!" she said happily, "I was so worried when I found out I had fallen asleep up there."

"Everyone else had already left," Taran said, "Have you decided?"

She nodded, "I have to go track down Sensei in a bit, and then somehow mull it over with Uncle Shikamaru, but if I can get Grandfather Toad to explain..." she shook her head to stop the rambling. "Taran... I'm going to continue what Daddy and Grandpa Jiraiya were fighting for. I think I have to. So I'm going to go disappear for a long while to that place... Promise me though," she chewed her lip, "You won't forget me right?"

Emerald eyes widened, "How could I?" he asked, "For all I know I'm going to get a letter everyday complaining on the humidity levels there."

She shook her head, "There won't be any letters this time, but I'm not going to forget you, so you can't forget me and let Shukaku get any sort of hold. Because everything he'll try to say about me is going to be a lie, I'll be thinking about you _the whole time._"

She hugged him then, and then went to hug Gaara, and then skipped merrily back into the village, going to track down Konohamaru and the Hokage.

"I won't have to tell you how much of her father is in her," the Kazekage said to his son, "You've seen the memories."

Taran turned so that his father wouldn't see exactly how red he had turned, "Let's go home," he grumbled, a very small smile coming to his lips. _She's going to be alright after all._


	26. Interlude Three

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto is not mine, though the second generation herein are. And those last two chapters were doozies, weren't they. I was in tears as I wrote them. _

_**Training Fire**_

Weeks after the sand nin had returned to Suna, Hitori looked down the humongous cliff, "Are you sure?"

"It's how your dad learned it," Konohamaru crossed his arms, "The Hokage said you could go if you can summon the boss toad and he demands it. This is where your dad managed it. Jirayia-sannin threw him off from here."

"You're not going to throw her are you?" Chozo asked with wide eyes.

"Hitori, this isn't a good idea," Shiro added, "There's another way, I'm certain of it."

She chewed her lip and nodded, and the group started to walk back.

"That's a relief," Konohamaru started to say, "Have to say I would..."

She suddenly turned around and ran back, leaping off the cliff.

"Hitori!" the men shouted as they ran after her, stopping at the edge, and flattening themselves to watch.

_Alright Kyubbi... give me that power... _her pale blue eyes narrowed as she bit her thumb and performed the jutsu, concentrating all the chakra she could muster into the seals, including the new well that had came with the rest of the fox.

She slammed her hand down and a large explosion of smoke appeared.

Above her she heard cheering as she landed on the snout of a giant toad, who took out his pipe and narrowed his eyes at her.

"Took you long enough." he said.

She grinned, placing her hands on her hips, "Well... whaddya say? Do I pass?"

"Grandpa's not giving me much of a choice. We've all been looking forward to meeting you," Gamabunta sighed, "But you still have to pass a test before I consider you for the sage training. I don't care how much he wants to train you."

She rolled up the sleeves to her robes, "Bring it on."

He looked to the sky, "If you can manage to stay on my head until sunset, I'll go right then to the Hokage and demand that you to come back to Myobokuzan. If you fall... then no training, and you're on your own for when the four years are up."

She nodded, and with that, the test began.

* * *

With five minutes left until sunset, the entire village had gathered to see the results.

"Can you see her?" Shikamaru asked Neji, who had activated the bykugaun and was watching the toad's back.

"She's scrambling, but she's still on. Her chakra and physical strength are almost depleted though," the Hyuuga said with a great deal of concern in his voice, "She's stubborn. You're going to have to send her."

"I had hoped that she wouldn't be able to summon him so early," the Hokage said wearily, "I suppose I couldn't have kept her in the village and safe no matter what I said."

Neji didn't say anything, but a small smile washed across her face.

On Gamabunta's back, Hitori had summoned chakra to her feet, "Is that all you have?" she asked, panting heavily, but still standing, she looked toward the sun. _Less than a minute now_.

The chief toad didn't answer, instead directed all of his strength into bucking wildly one last time as he leaped through the air.

The villagers below gasped. The sun set, and they all stared expectantly at the toad, waiting for the results of the test.

He walked over to the balcony where the Hokage and Neji were standing.

"Honorable Hokage of Konohagakure," Gamabunta started, "I demand the services of one of your shinobi for special training at Myobokuzan."

Shikamaru's eye twitched, but he reminded himself that he himself had ordered the pomp and circumstance of this test, "And which of my valuable shinobi do you require?"

"This girl still standing on my back, Uzumaki Hitori."

Neji was the only one who heard the muttered "Troublesome" as the crowd below cheered, and he stepped in the conversation, "How long will this training take, and when will she part?"

"We'll summon her tomorrow morning at sunrise," Gamabunta eyed the Hyuuga, "And there's no telling when, if ever, she'll be able to return."

He nodded sadly at that, "Hitori. Choji's been cooking up a storm ever since his son came with the news of this test. You missed the last banquet, it would be bad manners to miss this one."

She climbed over the toad's head, and jumped down to her Uncle's arms, "Let me take a shower first, and then I'll head right on over."

He set her down gently and as she walked away, he began to wonder just when it was that she stopped being the scabbed knee girl that he knew so well. He looked back up to Gamabunta, "Take care of her when she's up there."

The giant toad nodded and puffed back to the mountain whence he came. Shikamaru sighed, "I don't remember doing all this when Naruto left," he grumbled.

"You're the one who wanted to have more respect for the office." Neji reminded him as he walked away.

* * *

Hitori was carrying her pack, with Chi on her shoulder as she headed to the gates, "Bye..." she whispered to the home she had lived in with Neji.

"Wait," a voice said, and she turned, not recognizing it. Standing behind her was Megami, looking less like the proud Hyuuga heir, and more like...

Well, she looked more humble than she had been at least. It was a start.

"Uzumaki... I don't think I ever really liked you... but..." the girl wrung her hands, "But you were never really that bad, you stood up for your friends and then for people that weren't really your friends. Even in that fight with me... you didn't really want to fight me did you? But because you don't like hurting others." She bit her lip, "A lot of things have happened since then... and I... I want to say I'm sorry."

Hitori grinned, "Megami, whatever for? I don't hold anything against you."

"Just like that?" the girl's eyes were wide, "But I almost _killed_ you!"

"So, what will me hating you for it do?" she held up a finger, "If anything, you'll find it easier to get along with Jin and Lian now, because you got all your anger out. Jin'll be tough, because he's one of those who picks on the ones closest to him, but Lian will forgive you first. And once you've made one friend, it'll be easy to make another and another. So get to it."

Megami stared at her for a long moment, before nodding, "What about you? Do you consider us friends?"

"Sure!" Hitori gave her a thumbs up, "So I'm your first!"

A genuine smile came to the heir's lips then, "Thank you!" she said as she ran off.

The girl watched her cousin run off and was lifted in a great hug, "I'm proud of you," Neji said quietly, "Be safe."

She closed her eyes, as she hugged him back, "Take care of yourself Uncle... I'm going to miss you."

He placed his hands on her shoulders, "You too little bird," he smiled, "Don't be like your father and push yourself too hard."

"I'm going to have to Uncle. Remember, I'm the one carrying on his will." he moved his hands and she adjusted her backpack, "If you get any missions to Suna, make sure to tell Taran that I never take it off... not even during heavy training."

He raised an eyebrow, "It?"

She blushed a bit, and pulled out the small gourd hanging on a chain to her uncle, "He gave it to me the night after..." she blushed harder, and Neji briefly considered the reasons why he had saved the boy's life, but pushed the doubts aside.

Instead he gently chuckled, and reached over to ruffle her hair, "I'll tell him," he promised, then looked to the sun, "It's time."

She nodded and backed away from him, "How is this..." she started, but gasped as the smoke surrounded her.

Soon, Neji stood by himself on the empty street.

* * *

She landed with a thump in the middle of the giant mushroom forest, "It's beautiful," she whispered, and then grimaced, "And _really, really hot and sticky."_

She took off her robe and mesh undershirt and pants, and dug around in her bag for one of the sets of shorts and tank tops she had packed. Chi had floated away from her then, giving her a sense of privacy, and when she was in the new clothes, she placed her old ones, including shoes in the pack and hefted it up again. "Hello?" she called.

It was then she noticed the stairs, and reaching up to tighten her ponytail, she nodded, and began to run up the long flight.

Thus began the rigorous sage training. It would take her four years to fully complete, during which time, no one in any of the Great Nations heard a peep from the girl.

Every now and then Shikamaru would have a report on her progress, but apart from how strong she was getting there were no personal matters included.

She wasn't the only one training though. Her peers were working hard as well, waiting in excitement for the day that she would return again and searching for any news of what had happened to Uchiha Kurai.

There was none to be found.


	27. Book 4 Chapter 1

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto is not mine, though the second generation is. And I don't mind feedback, reviews really make my day, even if it's criticism._

_**Book Four, Chapter One**_

"Uchiha Kurai had all but disappeared four years ago after the chunin exams," the Mizukage was saying, "But three days ago he had appeared with a small force and attacked one of the villages close to Kirigakure. By the time we had sent teams to deal with him, the entirety of the small town was completely destroyed."

"The same thing happened in our land," the Raikage grunted, "However, my shinobi did face him, with the unsettling report that he used some of the power of the bijuu."

The five kages and their escorts stared at each other in silence for a moment, each leader choosing their next words carefully. This was the first Summit since the one Uchiha Sasuke had attacked so many years ago, the event that heralded the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Now it seemed that there would be a Fifth. Already had no less than twenty vales fallen to the Uchiha and his small army. And if what the Raikage said was true... then even the forces they could muster to face against him would prove insufficient.

Behind Gaara, Kiyomi shifted uncomfortably, and resisted the urge to not give a glance to the Kazekage's other escort, Taran. One because she knew that he was already being watched by the others in the room, being a jinchuuriki and Gaara's only son.

She actually bristled at the looks the Mizukage gave the auburn haired teen when they had entered, wanting to scream at the old woman for seeming so perverse.

_Kiyoshi would gently laugh at me for being so overprotective of him. _The thought of her sister caused her chest to ache, and unconsciously she brushed her fingers against the scroll she wore holstered against her waist. Her gray eyes drifted to the Hokage's stand.

She had almost hoped, and yet at the same time prayed against, Chozo would be one of the two escorts for her jonin's husband, but instead of the rotund boy her sister had been so very fond of, his jonin, Konohamaru, and Hitori's uncle Neji stood beside Shikamaru.

_Has there been news of Hitori then? _she did look over at Taran then, a quick glance to see if he had noticed.

His emerald eyes didn't waver from the center of the room, and if she didn't know any better, she would have accused him of sleeping with his eyes open. She gave a last glance to the Hokage's stand, both thanking and cursing the stars that Chozo or his father weren't there.

_I don't have to tell him yet... Maybe I won't ever have to. Gods, what would have Kiyoshi done?_

Still... the Hokage's choice of escorts seemed terribly deliberate, especially when Temari had predicted that it would have been his old teammates, Ino and Choji.

Gaara spoke then, and the puppet nin snapped her attention back to the meeting.

"It stands to reason that Uchiha is attempting to gather our attention. We know that he has in his possession the powers of seven of the bijuu." he spoke clearly, working out each word, "We also know that he intends to capture the power of the last remaining two. However, what we do _not _know is what his goals after he achieves this goal."

"Are you saying that it's possible that he may not be an enemy?" the Tsuchikage almost stood with his angered words, "That he's trying something for the greater good?"

"What I'm saying is that we need more information before we plan our next move," Gaara's said quietly, "Lord Hokage, of the two jinchuuriki that are left, the one unaccounted for at this time is a gennin in your village. It has been rumored that she spoke to the Uchiha when he attacked the first time."

"You're saying there's a chance that he told her some of his plans?" Shikamaru asked, "I don't think he did, else wise she would have said something."

"Where is she?" the Mizukage asked, "We need to give our all to protect the last two, another war will not be good for our countries, and yet, it would be far worse if the last two bijuu are attained by Uchiha."

Kiyomi shot a glance at Taran this time, sensing the sand stirring. His eyes had shifted from the center of the room to a spot behind the Lord of the Land of Irons, but when she followed the stare all she saw was a blank wall.

_What the hell is he looking at... _she glanced back over at him, in time to see him lean over and whisper something in his father's ear, causing Gaara to stare at the same spot.

Whatever it was, the Kazekage had a wry smile on his lips as he continued to speak, "It is true that we need to find her, if Uchiha gave her any information, she may not have said so. You have to remember that she is much like her father. There is also the fact that even the fabled sage mountain cannot remain hidden forever if those rumors are true and she _has _followed her father's footsteps."

"We haven't word from her in a while," Shikamaru folded his hands, "It is true that she has been on an extended training mission for the last few years, but other than some progress reports, I haven't much word."

"You run things too lax in Konoha!" the Raikage shouted as he stood up, "It's your village's fault that Sasuke was able to run wild and now you've went and _lost _one of the jinchuuriki."

Neji seemed about to say something, but Shikamaru held up a hand, "Of all the villages, I would expect you to keep quiet about _losing _jinchuuriki. Didn't you have two before the last war?"

Both of the Kumo nin escorting the Raikage glared and seemed to reach for their weapons, but the Raikage just laughed, "Touche! You're not the young buck I'd thought you'd be." he sat down.

"Besides I highly doubt the kyubbi container is lost," Gaara spoke again, "Your escort choices seem highly suspicious to me Lord Hokage."

"I have no idea what you're speaking of," the Nara said, "These two were the best jonin on such a short notice."

The discussion continued into possible plans of action after that, but Kiyomi couldn't pay much attention, _War council or not, this is so boring!_ And what did it matter where Hitori was, if _they _couldn't find her, then the Uchiha couldn't find her either.

It made perfect logical sense, but she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe Hitori was already found. She worried about the loud girl, and glanced again at her teammate, who she _knew_ wanted to know where the Uzumaki was.

He was still staring at that damn wall. And she _swore_ she saw the slight smile that vanished too quickly from his lips.

He _never _smiled, not after Hitori had disappeared, not after Kiyoshi had gotten sick.

But there it was! Another one, this one lasting just an eensie bit longer, though it was still too quick. And if she didn't know better, she would say that he was keeping from _laughing._

She stared back at the wall, _What the hell is so damn funny?!_

The Raikage and Mizukage both stood up then, yelling at each other about something that she had completely missed in her musings on Taran.

"We can't take anything for granted," the Tsuchikage said, joining the other two as he stood, "Control of the joint armies isn't something that should just be handed over to hotheads like you!"

"There is a way we can settle this peacefully," the Lord of Iron stated, "We could have a small contest, and the Kage that can produce the missing jinchuuriki can be said to be chosen by fate to be our leader."

Shikamaru shot Gaara a look then, who gave a responding stare.

At the Hokage's nod, he sighed wearily and stood up, "There's no need to go searching for her."

"What?" three of the Kage's stared at him, Shikamaru simply folded his hands again.

"The girl in question has been sitting quietly for the entire proceedings and, given my son's reactions to her, making obscene gestures at the entire lot of us."

The stares continued as Gaara stood and marched across the room to the spot behind the Lord of Iron, and seemingly grabbed in mid-air.

The entire room, sans Taran and Shikamaru, gasped as he pulled out the girl with wavy black hair, in the past it had been completely streaked, thankfully she had toned it down to the orange locks just framing her face, she wore an open orange and red haori over her mesh armor covered by a dark blue tank top and short skirt, "In light of this Lord Hokage, I think your choice of escort seems highly appropriate."

Kiyomi wondered if the Kage's were shocked because Gaara had found her so easily or that she had hidden herself so well while wearing such a loud jacket.

_How'd she do that anyways?_

"Taran! You ratted me out!" she accused, hands on her hips, "And to think that I came all this way to keep you from being bored out of your skull."

The only response she got was a very soft smile that did _not _fade.

"Do you have absolutely no respect!?" the Raikage shouted, "How did you get in here anyways?"

"Oh I got here before everyone else did," she grinned, "So I just sat down back here and waited."

"Hitori, I think he meant to ask is how we didn't even sense you," Neji said quietly.

"Oh that!" she raised a hand to rub the back of her head, "One of the techniques I learned I suppose."

"Then it seems that all that training you did paid off," Konohamaru smiled, "Just wait until Shiro and Chozo hear."

* * *

The summit meeting still lasted another two hours after that, and finally they were dismissed to retire to some prepared rooms for the night, and the delegation from Konoha and Suna went together to eat.

"It's been too long since I ate any actual food," Hitori said happily as she wolfed her dinner down, "Ma's cooking was great and all, but only if you're a toad." she made a face and Taran and Kiyomi decided it was best if they didn't know, "I can't wait to get back to Konoha and have some Ichiraku's or Uncle Choji's cooking again!"

"He'll be happy to see you," Neji said, "As will everyone else." he nodded to her as Shikamaru got up to leave and he and Konohamaru followed behind.

She grinned, "Everyone still seems the same, except Kiyomi and Taran seem a lot taller now."

"You got taller than well," Taran said quietly, "You look more grown up now," he sipped his tea, "Shame you still act as childish as you used to."

She stuck out her tongue.

"I like your hair long though," he continued to sip his tea, resisting the urge to smile at the massive blush that covered the girl's face.

_I feel like I'm intruding here, _Kiyomi thought as Gaara stood, and she gratefully followed.

Taran started to rise as well, but his father held up a hand, "You stay with her for now. Until we work out the details of the army and our strategy I'm leaving you two in charge of defending each other."

"Isn't this known as putting all of our eggs in one basket?" his son asked, "If Uchiha attacks now, he could get both of us."

"Then don't fall to his attack," the Kazekage said as he left, Kiyomi quickly following after him.

A long moment passed, "A lot has happened since I went away hasn't it," Hitori quietly asked.

He nodded, "But it seems like it was all the foreshadowing of the nightmare to come."


	28. Book 4 Chapter 2

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto isn't mine, though the second generation is. And thanks to those who read this, drop a review sometime, it makes my day._

_A bit of fluff in this chappie. The proper action will start up real soon though._

_**Book Four, Chapter Two**_

The rest of the summit passed in relative peace, or rather it did for Hitori and Taran, who were asked not to join the rest of the proceedings. Each of the Kage's followed Gaara's example, and the Uzuamki found herself with one of the bodyguards from each one.

Thankfully, none of them seemed to mind Konohamaru's training suggestion, and the three other nin spent the days testing the two jinchuuriki's strength.

Taran had the sneaking suspicion that Hitrori was holding out on them, and she winked at him whenever he shot her an accusatory glance on the matter.

Shukaku had bristled about being read so easily, but the auburn-haired youth ignored it. It wasn't something he could ask her about with so many watching anyways.

And she _was_ being watched, more so than he was. They knew about Shukaku's sand abilities, some from experiences with his father no less, some from even longer back than that. They didn't expect Taran's abilities to be any different from the rest of the containers for the ichibi.

The Kyubbi on the other hand, there was only one other person who had contained that demon insofar as the Kage Summit knew, and recent events had brought to light the fact that Naruto only housed _part_ of the nine-tailed fox.

The _whole_ kitsune... and the legendary Sage training of Myobokuzan... _and _the byakugaun, even if it was sealed with the Caged Bird...No one knew what to expect from her, no one even made an attempt to guess at her abilities.

So they watched and reported back to their masters.

The last day of the summit couldn't come sooner for the girl, and she sighed with relief when Neji and Shikamaru came to retrieve them to head back to Konoha.

"We'll be there in a week," Gaara spoke quietly as he and Kiyomi joined them, "It'll take that long to organize my forces enough."

"Why couldn't we just meet at your place, you're the leader of the joint army," Shikamaru rubbed his neck, "All these people... troublesome."

"You know as well as I do that Konoha is the most centralized of our villages," the Kazekage looked toward his son, "You still have your orders to guard that girl." he ignored the broad grin from Hitori at that and turned to Neji, "I suspect that you still have some extra lodging for him while he continues his mission."

An eyebrow raised, "If I didn't know any better..." the glare from the teal eyes interrupted that train of that thought, and the Hyuuga chuckled, "Of course Lord Kazekage."

"Troublesome..." Shikamaru muttered as he turned away.

"Kiyomi... do you wish for me to tell Chozo Kiyoshi's message?" Taran asked quietly.

She stared at him for a moment, "N...no..." she hit her arm lightly, "No," she said, her voice suddenly stronger, "I'll tell him myself when Suna's forces arrive in Konoha. Just... just don't tell him anything yet."

"What if he asks?" emerald eyes stared at her.

"Tell him to wait for me to get there." she turned to follow Gaara who was walking away.

Hitori's pale blue eyes followed her for a long moment, but didn't say anything, though Taran was expecting her to open up with questions at any second.

They both turned and followed the Hokage's entourage.

* * *

It was a tearful reunion at the village gates, somehow word had gotten out that the Uzumaki was returning, and almost the whole village came to greet her.

Taran wondered just how many of them she actually knew, and how many were just there to see how much of Naruto was in his daughter.

_**Thankfully, not as much as everyone claims. I wouldn't let you hear the end of it then.**_

_What? You're saying that those rumors about him and Father are completely unfounded?_

_**You're getting better at being a smart-ass! Remind me to throw you a party!**_

_I think that's just me being around you too much. _

The response from Shukaku was interrupted by a sudden hug around his neck, and Taran realized that they had entered Neji's residence without him noticing.

"I've been wanting to do that forever!" Hitori said happily as she let him go, "Too many people watching all the time though, so I didn't want you to get embarrassed."

As it was, he had turned bright red, and she giggled, "You've been arguing with that tanuki haven't you?" arms were crossed as she regarded him, "The toads told me I get a weird look in my eyes when I talk to Kyubbi, so that's what they must be talking about."

"I should hope the Kyubbi doesn't drive you as crazy," he almost grinned at the indignant squawk Shukaku gave him at that.

"No," she took his hand, "Come on, Uncle Neji said that you could place your things in the guest room. He went out to get me some cinnamon buns."

"For someone about to fight a war, you're amazingly calm."

She stopped at that, "If I stop and think about it, I feel like I'm about to jump off that cliff again." she seemed to want to say more, but was stopped by the door opening.

"Hitori! You're back!" Chozo, Jin, Shiro, Lian, and Megami stood in the foyer, all looking much the same as they did four years ago...

Well, they were taller, and Megami's hair was cut short now in a page-boy, and they were all dressed differently in their clan styles, Chozo who was in his family's armor, Megami was in the Hyuuga family robes, Jin dressed like his father, and Lian like his.

Shiro still wore the same type of outfit he always did.

Hitori grinned, "It's been too long!" and went to hug her old friends.

Chozo looked at Taran then, "Are Kiyomi and Kiyoshi coming too?"

Emerald green eyes stared, "...Yes... they'll be here in a week."

_**It's not a lie you realize. Both of them will be here.**_

He didn't respond to Shukaku, just watched quietly as Hitori caught up to the rest of the Konoha nin of her age group.

He wondered how different he looked to them, they had all seemed to age, but for one like him, who had done his growing up all at once at the young age the Shukaku turned the memories to him, he thought that he might be stopped in time.

Pale blue eyes turned to him, and he thought suddenly of how much she aged, and yet still seemed to be the same girl that left him in Suna.

_**Curvier. Quieter. Power and chakra oozing out of her, but yeah, sure, same girl.**_

_Can I have just five minutes of private reflection?_

_**Not if you're going to be emo. I can't stand angsty fluffiness. What you **_**need **_**to be thinking on is how to get away with groping one of those melons...**_

"Taran?" Hitori asked at the indignant squawk that came from him at that.

_**Payback's a **_**bitch**_** ain't it.**_

* * *

"Where's Chi?" he asked after they ate dinner, and she sat on the balcony watching the stars.

"A year ago, he left, saying that I didn't need him anymore," she closed her eyes, "I think he went to where Daddy and Uncle Sasuke are... he seemed so tired after that battle..." Taran walked to stand next to her, and she opened her eyes again, "One night I woke up, and he was sitting next to me, and he told me that he couldn't stay any longer. Then he kissed my forehead and vanished."

Both stared in silence at the night sky over Konoha for a moment.

"Taran... you asked me how I can be so calm with everything going on," she swung her legs that were hanging over the balcony, "I've been cheating. I keep imagining how life would be like if we didn't have to fight this upcoming battle."

"How so?"

"Like I keep thinking that you and I would probably get married or something," she blushed, "I mean, since I've always liked you a lot."

Emerald eyes stared at her, "Tell me about it."

_**Tell **_**me **_**about the wedding night!**_ Taran ignored the raccoon demon.

"Well... I always thought that it would be neat if you and I went to the ocean. And Uncle Neji would give me away..." her eyes seemed far-off in the dream, "And Aiko and Kiyomi and Megami and Kiysohi... they would be dressed in these pale blue dresses, the same color of my eyes, and long and breezy, and there would be forget-me-nots and daisies as my flowers. Aiko, being the eldest, would be my maid of honor, and I would set up the best man as Shika, because they go so well together. But Chozo and Shiro and Jin would be the rest of the ushers."

"What about Lian?"

She puffed her cheeks, "I'm not forgetting him! I was getting to that!" she smiled wistfully, "He'll be in charge of the procession." she was quiet for a long moment before she continued, "And Uncle Gaara would be the one performing the ceremony... And knowing you, when it came time to kiss me, you'll throw up a sand shield so that no one would see it."

"That time I wouldn't. It's important," he looked at her, "What would you be wearing?"

"Something long and breezy and sleeveless too, like my bridesmaids, but white. And there would be forget-me-nots and daisies in a wreath on my hair, and I would take the orange out just for this. No shoes, I like feeling the sand under my feet," she sighed, "It's a nice thought isn't it?"

He nodded, "What makes you think it won't happen?"

She turned to him, "Taran... even if you and I survive the fight..." she stopped at the sadness in his emerald eyes, "You realize it too."

"Growing old together... it's a luxury shinobi can never have," he whispered, vaguely aware that their faces were inching closer together.

She nodded, tears forming in her eyes.

Their lips were a second from crashing into each other when the door to the balcony opened, "Hitori, would you like to come with me to visit your parent's graves?" Neji asked quietly.

_**ARGH. He **_**had **_**to have been checking on her with that eye trick!**_

_Exactly why do you care?_

She swung her legs around and slid down off of the balcony, "Taran..." she shook her head, "We'll talk later."

He nodded, and she walked away, leaving him to stare at the stars and inwardly argue with Shukaku.


	29. Book 4 Chapter 3

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Wai!!! Naruto is not mine!!! However the second generation is, and that goes doubly for Hitori and Taran. _

_**Book Four, Chapter Three**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

It was late when Hitori left her house to go to the training field like she did so long ago. However this time she didn't have any illusions about no one following her, she could easily sense the chakra of the two that did.

_Uncle's being overprotective._

_**Can you blame him? **_The velvety voice of Kyubbi answered her, and she shrugged as she leaped through the empty streets.

The armies were due to arrive in the morning, and even without calling upon the nature chakra and going into full on sage mode, she felt the electricity in the air, heralding the upcoming battle.

One she knew that neither she nor Taran would be walking away from.

_**For one facing certain death, you seem to have accepted it fairly calmly.**_

She didn't answer the kitsune, instead concentrated on the strange katas she had learned in the past four years. She knew that Neji, watching from the trees, could recognize the gentle fist's influence in this new martial art, but she wondered if he had ever seen the toad's kung fu that she had applied the Hyuuga's secrets to in the creation of her own style.

Sand circled around her and she smiled as Taran walked out onto the field. No words were said as the sand floated back to the gourd on his back, a silent accusation coming from him.

_Yes Taran, there is something I'm not telling you. _Her pale blue eyes betrayed nothing as the emerald orbs stared back at her.

He crossed his arms, and she felt the unspoken words that asked for the practice, begged for her not to hold back.

_I won't. _Her byakugaun flared to life and she leapt forward, taking a scroll and releasing the seal on it as she came closer to the other jinchuuriki.

Orange square pupils appeared in her eyes as the markings of the Sage came with the power that the clone had stored, _I have three left... twenty minutes total._

If he was surprised at the changes in her appearance, he didn't show it, instead directing the sand to attack her oncoming assault head-on.

_Too slow! _she avoided the claw and the one that came after that, realizing with the intensity of the attacks that he wasn't holding back either. _He's making it so I won't be able to get close. _She took out another scroll, and the two clones she summoned weren't released, instead brought as support for her, sacrificing ten minutes of the sage powers.

Her hand fell to her back, and she and one of the clones summoned the rasengan while the other protected them from the sand. The three jumped away from each other, passing the glowing orb of chakra as they avoided the claws and made their way closer to Taran. A wall of sand threw itself up in front of them, and Hitori slammed the rasengan into it.

She broke through and the sand trailed close to her again actually dispelling her two clones, but as it was about to close in on her, she unleashed the most secret of the Hyuuga techniques, the eight trigrams empty palm.

Taran stepped back, coughing as the sand was turned back on him, but quickly regaining control.

She took out another scroll, releasing the last of her clones.

_Just five minutes. _

But instead of advancing, the two stared at each other, chakras flaring down as they finally each took a step forward, emerald eyes staring at the gourd hanging out of Hitori's shirt, while her eyes stared at the red-gold feather hanging out of his.

It was then that Neji finally decided to come out from his vantage point. "Both of you. Come home." he turned to walk away as Hitori's eyes reverted back to their normal pupil-less pale blue and the sand returned to Taran's gourd.

"You almost won," he said quietly as he passed her, "I suppose it's foolish of me to try and protect you."

"Same here," she said quietly as she quickly caught up and walked beside him, "I guess it would have ended in a draw had we continued."

* * *

The first of the armies arrived at the gates at sunrise, and by the time the war council was called in the evening, almost all of the forces were accounted for.

Hitori sat in the back, carefully hiding her chakra signature as she and Taran listened in on what was being told to the jonin.

The council was interrupted by a messenger from the Kumo nin staggering in, sweating as he handed a message to Gaara.

Who immediately stood and ordered medical help for the chunnin that had collapsed on the floor. "The Kumo forces have been destroyed. The Raikage got this message to us," he held up the paper, "The Uchiha's demands are still the same."

"We won't give in!" someone cried from the front, and Hitori narrowed her eyes in thought, _So many lives lost already, just to _capture _Taran and me..._

There was only one course of action, and despite not knowing whether or not he would follow Hitori stood and walked down to the front.

"You're not supposed to be here," Gaara said quietly.

"You're really prepared to throw more lives away for me?" she asked, "I'll go."

"You'll die, and then everything we fought for will be destroyed," he said calmly.

"It was destroyed seventeen years ago already," she argued, "Everything the nations have been doing since then was simply salvage. I've been training, I can fight this guy."

"You haven't argued against your imminent death," he pointed out.

She chewed her lip for a moment, then resolute she continued, "I'm destined to die in this battle no matter what I do." she finally said quietly, "There's a prophecy that was made regarding that I wasn't supposed to hear. Grandpa Toad can confirm it. So I figure, if I have to die, I might as well go down fighting."

Behind her she could sense Konohamaru scrambling the summoning jutsu together as the jonin in the room started yelling and arguing.

Three people said nothing, Neji and Gaara regarded her quietly, waiting on the commotion to die down as Taran silently stood next to her.

Suddenly the room was quiet as the elder toad appeared.

"We will reconvene in one hour. You'll have your instructions then," Gaara said. The room cleared out, only Neji, Konohamaru, Shika, and Aiko remained of the jonin.

"Tell me," Gaara asked of Fukasaku, "Is what she speaks of true?"

A long moment passed, with all eyes but Hitori's trained on the elderly toad before he finally spoke, "_She will be able to surpass all sages that have come from Myobokuzan and control the demon she carries through kindness instead of strength. But once she leaves our fabled mountain, she will enter a grave battle that will destroy everything we know, but the final choice will be hers, the world or her life. _That is the prophecy the Great Toad Sage gave."

"I can't accept it," Neji cried out, "We watched Naruto shoulder the burdens on his own, why are we forced to watch Hitori do the same?"

"She won't shoulder it alone," Taran's voice quietly said, then he turned to her, "Don't think for a second that you were going to face him without me."

"Even if it is her battle," Shika stood up, "I'm willing to bet that a little back-up won't hurt. Permission to lead a small force?"

Shikamaru finally spoke then, up until now silently regarding the proceedings of the council, "It seems the will of fire still burns," he murmured, then turned to Gaara, speaking with conviction, "Lord Kazekage, I suggest having Shika and Aiko lead two squads."

The red-head nodded, "Assemble your team and meet Hitori and Taran at the gates in a half hour." his teal eyes gazed softly to his son and Naruto's daughter, "Prophecy or not, try and return to us."

* * *

Hitori wasn't surprised to see who the team comprised of as Shika led her old teammates and Kiyomi to the gates, followed by Aiko's team of Megami, Lian, and Jin.

"Shouldn't we wait on Kiyoshi?" Chozo asked, as they got ready to move out.

"There's no need," Kiyomi said quietly, "I have her sealed in a scroll and ready to fight."

The dreaded moment passed, and she realized that there was no need to dread it, "Kankuro and I... we weren't as good as Sasori. She started to forget things, and then started to not be able to move on her own," she chewed her lip, "She's really a puppet now. But she did give me a message for you before it happened completely... she said that she really liked your cooking." tears flooded her grey eyes.

Suddenly she felt warm arms encircle her, and she blinked to find herself being hugged by Chozo, Hitori, and Jin.

"Let's get going," Shika said quietly.

They nodded and the group walked away from the gates of Konaha.

Kiyomi and Jin walked together, "Chozo and Hitori I understood," she said to the raven haired boy, "But you..."

He smiled gently at her as he took out his scroll and began to sketch. "My father learned it from Hitori's father, I learned it through them... friends and compassion for others are important. I think if the Uchiha understood, even a little of that, then we wouldn't be having this battle."

"Do you think the rumor's true?" Megami said as she walked on the other side of Jin, "That this is really a suicide mission?"

Kiyomi looked up to where Hitori was walking and chatting happily with Taran, "I think... that there's a chance. But I also think that even if it were, that those two wouldn't let us fall. A long time ago, Kiyoshi and I chose to follow him to the end. Now that it's here, I won't retreat."


	30. Book 4 Chapter 4

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__I think by the thirtieth chapter, you would know the drill. _

_

* * *

**Book Four, Chapter Four

* * *

**_

They quietly made their way across the Land of Fire to the Land of Sound, searching for the many bases of Otogakure.

"How are we sure that this is where he's going to be?" Megami asked suddenly.

"He inherited the bases from his father. Yumegakure was a smokescreen set up so that they could enter the chunnin exams relatively unnoticed," Shika explained to the Hyuuga.

"If he had kept his head down, I doubt that anyone would have noticed his heritage," Aiko added, "As it was, he wasn't the one that blew their cover, it was that jonin that went after Team Seven in the Forest of Death."

"We knew," Kiyomi said, "But that was only because Taran said as much. And Hitori recognized them as soon as she heard his name."

"But that was because he and I had dealings with them before," the Uzumaki grinned as she looked back, "I never even met Kurai; I was just told about him," she looked over at the auburn haired boy next to her, "Come to think of it, didn't your father catch who he was when he came to Konoha?"

"You had already been targeted by that point," he said quietly.

Megami started to fall behind at that, painfully reminded by how she used to be towards everyone. Lian and Jin grabbed her arms and pulled her with them.

"Come on Princess," Jin said quietly, "You'll never make up for it if you start to falter again."

"It was a long time ago!" Lian smiled, "You can't tell me you're going to let that get in the way of your radiant youth!"

She stared at them for a long moment, before nodding and jumping ahead of the two, activating her byakugaun, "What exactly are we looking for?"

* * *

At sunset they made camp as even with two byakugauns and the beetles, the forest they were in was simply too dense for them to find their way.

At first Shika was against them using a campfire, but Aiko led the argument for it.

"We _want _to be found, remember?" she pointed out, "Besides it's the part of the year that it gets cold at night, we'll need it."

"Troublesome..." he sighed, "But you're right." he looked around, "We'll set up watches in pairs, Shiro and Chozo you take the first, Kiyomi and Megami take second, Lian and Jin take third, Hitori and Taran take fourth, and Aiko, you and I will take the dead man's."

They all nodded and set to their separate tasks.

Taran didn't sleep as usual, instead meditated as the others performed their guard duties, reserving his strength. The night passed relatively uneventful, though he noted that there was an unusual silence in the trees surrounding them.

_**Almost like something big is about to go down. I can smell the unspilt blood already.**_

_As much as I hate to admit this, you're right. _

At three in the morning, Lian touched his shoulder, "Your turn," he yawned and the sand nin noticed that Jin had gone to wake up Hitori.

Emerald eyes narrowed, she had gotten up far too easily, and what's more is that she was already armed for battle. From his reaction, Jin was suspicious as well, but she simply smiled at him, and took her place beside Taran, facing away from the campfire.

Jin stared at her, then shrugged and joined Lian in the tent.

Taran kept his eye on her, "Where's Hitori?" he whispered.

"Eh..." pale blue eyes widened, "Damn, you're good." the clone sat down on the log across from him, "I knew you would figure it out and all, but I thought that there would be at least _some_ question."

"I know her too well. Now how long ago did she leave?"

"Only about fifteen minutes. She left when Lian and Jin were discussing the merits of art and youthfulness."

He stood, then gazed into the forests, "Wake up Shika and Aiko so that they can set up watch. I'm going after her."

"But then they'll wake everyone up and go too," she pointed out, "I might as well cover for you too, and if anyone attacks, then I can get into action," she smiled, "Kyubbi is the one leading her towards the other bijuu, so Shukaku should be able to pick up the trail no problem right?"

He turned to her, "She had this planned all along didn't she?"

The clone suddenly turned serious, "Whoever's going to enter this battle is going to die. Even so, she still doesn't want to face it alone. Besides, the ichibi is required as well isn't it. Kurai's after the jubi, remember?"

A moment passed, and he finally nodded and jumped away.

* * *

_**She's made some good time. **_Shukaku noted.

_It doesn't matter. She never should have left on her own. _

_**Ahead five meters. She's waiting.**_

True enough, when Taran landed in the clearing, Hitori was already there, facing away from him as she watched the stars.

"You want to explain why the hell you decided to go off alone?" he growled, feeling the sand stir in his gourd at his anger for her recklessness.

"I wasn't entirely sure that you would come after me," she said quietly, "Though I'm glad that you did." she turned towards him, "Shukaku, can you feel it like Kyubbi does? We're being called."

_**I don't like it. I don't want to go back to being a part of that monster.**_

"He called the jubi a monster, that should give you an idea of how stupid this is..." he shook his head, "Run! Go to Myobokuzan again... you don't have to go through this!"

"And how many of our friends and family will die if I do that? No, Taran... you and I have to go end this, and we have to go alone." she closed her eyes and clutched her arms across her chest, "If we don't, then every battle up until now, every sacrifice that was made, it'll all be for nothing. I can't just turn and run."

"But..." he chewed his lip, then sighed, "At least you're letting me come."

She smiled, then started to turn away to jump towards the strange force that was accumulating, the one even Shukaku was afraid of.

Neither of them were sure exactly when he had slipped his hand over hers, but both were happy for the quiet contact as they continued, the promise being made again, unspoken but still there.

_You won't bear this burden alone._

The knowledge only brought a bittersweet relief.

* * *

The sun rose, and Shika jumped up, "Why wasn't I woken up for my..." he started as he came out of the tent.

"They left on their own," Chozo said quietly. "Hitori's clone has been telling us why."

She smiled, "She sends her apologies, but she couldn't let you go any further."

"So what do we do now?" Aiko asked, "Should we head back to the village or go after them?"

"Or stay here and fight," Kiyomi said as she unhooked the scroll from her waist, "Seems like we have some interesting guests."

At that the Konoha nin looked around, Megami activating her byakuagaun, "It's three squads," she said quietly, "And they're flanking us, about fifty meters away."

"My beetles confirm this," Shiro said, "Orders?"

Shika sighed, "They must be part of his forward team, which means they were heading to Konoha next. Troublesome..." he looked up, "We cannot let any enemy shinobi come past this point, we stay and fight." he turned to the clone, "You better disperse, she'll need all her strength."

She nodded and vanished. "How long until contact?"

"Approximately ten minutes at the rate their traveling." Megami stated, "They're attempting to disguise their numbers."

"Any sign of reinforcements?" Aiko asked, "Are all they all coming at once?"

"There are another two squads behind them that I can see," Megami turned to the two jonin, "We're outnumbered twenty to seven."

"Not horrible odds," Kiyomi said as she flung the scroll open and Kiyoshi appeared, "And we've got eight."

"That doesn't make it terribly better," Jin said as he took his sketchpad and brush out, "But better than nothing."

Back to back, they waited on the upcoming assault.

* * *

Hitori and Taran stopped as they came to the stairs that led to the ruins where they felt the other bijuu waiting.

"No turning back now," she said.

"There wasn't any anyways," he replied as they ascended.

Long moments ticked by as they climbed, and when they got to the top, they stood and gazed quietly at the raven haired man that stared back at them.

"It's been a long time Nine," Kurai said as he took out the katana from the sheath on his back, "Have you finally realized that you belong to me?"

She squeezed the hand that holding hers, "Stop this Kurai. It's your last chance."

"I thought that I was already given my last chance, by Itachi..." he looked around, "I don't see him, did he finally fade away like Father predicted?"

She didn't say anything, and he laughed at the sorrow in her eyes.

"Give me your bijuu," he said, as chakra started to pour from him, "And I'll make sure that you live to see the new world."

Taran and Hitori split apart as the chakra wave ran towards where they were standing.

_**No mercy boy! Not only is he crazier than even I like, he's trying to take something that's ours!**_

He didn't bother asking the bijuu to clarify, instead concentrating on the battle ahead, the sand pouring from his gourd.


	31. Book 4 Chapter 5

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto isn't mine, the second generation is.

* * *

_

_**Book Four, Chapter Five

* * *

**_

"Aiko you're our only medic, so keep down," Shika said, "Megami and Shiro, keep an eye out for more incoming shinobi and warn us as you notice them."

"Five minutes," Megami said quietly, "Should we try and conceal our numbers?"

"They already know we're here," the Nara scanned the treeline, "I wonder how," he turned to Jin, "I want you to see if you can get any information out of them, Chozo and Kiyomi, cover him." he glanced over at Lian, "Do you have any of that special medicine from Gai-sensei?"

"A whole bottle full!" the boy grinned, taking out the sake and showing it, "Gai-sensei swears that it would make me twice as powerful!"

"But that's," Kiyomi started, but her mouth was covered up by Jin who shook his head.

"Good. Don't use it except as a last resort," Shika turned back to Aiko, who was smiling gently at him, "What?"

"You're just like your father," she said.

"Troublesome..." he sighed, "Just stick by me and keep down, I'm relying on you to keep us together."

"Two minutes," Megami said as they put the wireless into their ears.

Aiko leaned into the tree behind her and vanished as Shika squatted down to the ground. In front of him, Chozo and Kiyomi stood beside Jin who had knelt down with his sketchpad out, and the puppet Kiyoshi was out beside her sister. Lian took the right flank, Shiro took the left. Megami faced behind them.

All was silent then...

"They're here," Megami whispered.

Shinobi burst into the clearing, and they moved into action.

* * *

Hitori activated her byakugaun as she and Taran split apart, the tails of condensed chakra coming after her.

_**They're trying to absorb me. **_The Kyubbi's voice said, _**Don't let them touch you!**_

She nodded, and searched through the red and black tendrils of energy for Kurai, _There. _She unfurled a scroll and released the clone contained in it. Her eyes changed as she felt the chakras in the air around them, _Even the animals have fled. I guess Taran and I are the only ones crazy enough to fight him like this._ She threw her hands into a cross seal and summoned two clones who jumped behind her.

Both were taken out by the chakra suddenly turning, "Damn!"

"I won't let you," Kurai smirked, "It'll make your defeat that much sweeter."

Taran made his attack then, sending the sand racing towards the Uchiha. Obsidian eyes turned red and a star spun in them as a blackish demon appeared keeping the sand from harming him, "Hn." He looked towards Hitori closing his left eye, "Amaterasu," he said with an outstretched hand, summoning the black flames.

They never touched her, sand surrounded her and she was pulled towards Taran before they appeared.

"I'm not going to have to keep saving you am I?" he whispered.

She grinned, "Not on your life," and jumped back into the fight.

"Tsukuyomi," Kurai said as he closed his right eye and opened his left.

Before her the world turned red, white, and black and she only heard Taran's cry as she fell, "Hitori!"

"It looks like I win after all," the Uchiha said, walking towards her, sword drawn. The sand flew towards him, but the chakra tails that were concentrated around him now prevented any damage.

"Amaterasu," Kurai said staring at Taran with his right eye. Sand cocooned around the jinchuuriki before the black flames could touch him, "Too easy." he reached Hitori's prone body and bent over, "It was futile to even try Nine."

_She lifted her head from the cross she was hanging on. "So you're awake." a deep voice said._

_"Chi?" she looked at the Uchiha standing before her, "What are you..."_

_"I had a feeling that he took Sasuke's eyes... which were originally mine. So I planted a failsafe in you. It'll make the fight fair at least," he gently took her down from the cross._

_She smiled, "Thanks." _

_"There won't be a next time," he said, gently brushing his lips against her forehead, "I can't help anymore now."_

_"That's alright," she stepped down from him, "I have to grow up sometime right?"_

_He nodded giving her a sad smile, "Good luck." With that he vanished into a murder of crows as color flooded back into the world._

Her eyes opened, light pouring out from them, and she reached up to brush her fingers against Kurai's forehead.

He screamed as his eyes turned from the red to the obsidian to pale grey. The black flames disappeared from around the sand as the shield crumbled away and Taran shakingly stood, "Is it over?" he asked, knowing that it couldn't possibly be.

But he did hope, foolish as it was.

She shook her head and both shielded their faces as the bijuu's chakra exploded from Kurai.

* * *

Kiyoshi blocked the shinobi from attacking Jin and held him as he threw his hands up in the window.

"Hurry up!" Kiyomi snapped, fatigue sounding in her voice. The battle was going on far too long.

The nin in the puppets arms went limp and Jin stood up, "He didn't know anything either." he turned to Chozo, "I guess we'll have to strong arm them, I don't have the strength to try it again."

"See if you can muster up some chakra," Kiyomi said as she had Kiyoshi throw the enemy nin down, "We just haven't targeted the right one."

Chozo nodded, then looked to see how the others were doing in the brief respite in battle.

Shika's shadow stitching was holding a few, but the sweat on the Nara's brow gave away how close he was to collapse. Megami and Lian were back to back now, both panting, and it looked like the byakugaun was beginning to fade from her eyes.

"There's another three squads coming," she said, her voice barely able to sound, "Shika..."

"Lian, when they come in the clearing, drink your medicine. Aiko..." he turned to the jonin who was standing beside the ones she had trapped in her genjutsu, "You wouldn't happen to have any stimulants?"

"Ino-sensei told me not to use those, they just cause the body to wear out even quicker," she said, as the enemy shinobi she was facing collapsed.

Shiro called the beetles to him then, "I count four more squads Megami."

She slowly nodded, "One must be in the blind spot."

The fight had been a rough one, the enemy they faced were much stronger than the average shinobi. It was almost like...

Jin's eye's widened, "Of course there was no information..." he had been too caught up in the battle to notice. Looking at Kiyoshi, he performed the mind jutsu again.

"Wha..." Chozo started, "Jin are you insane?"

The puppet collapsed and the Yamanaka gasped as he tried to muster strength back to himself, "I'm a damn fool," he whispered, "I should have paid more attention when Mom was teaching me the techniques instead of doodling."

"What did you find out?" Shika asked.

Kiyomi willed Kiyoshi's limbs to life and turned to the dark haired boy, "But there aren't any puppet-masters left besides me and Kankuro-sensei."

"Not exactly puppets," Jin said, leaning on Chozo as he was helped up, "There's the semblance of memories there, like in her mind. Whoever they once were... they got taken over by Kurai and wiped, now following him."

"That makes sense," Shika mused quietly, "The Kumo nin would have known that there would be a counterattack on him, and they would have known that Hitori had appeared." he looked at them, "What did that clone of hers say?"

"The bijuu were calling for each other," Aiko whispered, "Even if she had come alone, we came directly from Konoha..."

"The onslaught is to prevent the joint armies from aiding her in the fight then," Shiro pushed up his glasses, "They attack us because we're encroaching on the territory."

"Wait..." Megami croaked, "_How _many shinobi got captured?"

They stared at each other for a long moment, "Troublesome," Shika whispered.

"Should we change our plan?" Aiko asked, "We can't hold off against that many."

"There is a chance that the joint army is behind us," Kiyomi said, "Kazekage-sama isn't the type to let us fight alone. I say we press on to help Hitori and Taran."

"I agree," Chozo stepped next to her, with Jin nodding as he leaned heavily on the Akimichi.

"We did come as their back-up," Shiro said.

Shika looked at the chunnin and turned to Aiko, who was smiling gently at him again. "Why are you guys asking me?" he grumbled.

No one answered, they didn't have to. A long time ago, when they were still children, the heirs of Konoha had decided upon it.

Hitori was their heart, their symbol of friendship and hope. But she never was a leader, though she would fight for any of them, she, like her father, never had the ability to become one. She was too rash, and too emotional to make the types of decisions that she had once witnessed Gaara make, so long ago during the tragedy of Suna.

Shika on the other hand, kept cool under pressure, made decisions quickly and without remorse, but at the same time, and probably because of the Uzumaki influence on his family, cared deeply for his friends. Even when they had no intentions of ever fighting against immeasurable foes, he had been their undisputed leader.

"You're like Taran and Kazekage-sama," Kiyomi said quietly after a moment, "So I would follow what you say as well."

He looked at them, wondering if this was the same way his father felt when he had led the Sasuke retrieval squad or had made the decision to kill the Uchiha in the later years. The older Nara's weariness came to him. _Someone who had to give up the person he loved for the sake of his village. I'm going to have to make that sort of decision aren't I... _

Unconsciously, he glanced at Aiko again, then sighed heavily, "We go after Hitori and Taran." Somehow the words caused a new-found strength to stir in the others, and they nodded as they stood up a little straighter.

_She's our heart after all, _Shika thought as they jumped away from the clearing.


	32. Book 4 Chapter 6

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto is not mine, though the second generation OC's are.

* * *

_

_**Book Four, Chapter Six

* * *

**_

Taran grabbed Hitori as they both flew back to avoid the chakra tails.

"I may not be able to see you with my eyes, but the demons you carry still allow me to know where you are," Kurai called.

"Stop this," Hitori called out as she stepped away from her companion, "Don't you know what will happen if the Jubi is formed?"

"I'm counting on it," he smirked, "The world will be unable to handle the raw power and everything we hold dear will be destroyed. Doesn't it sound wonderful!"

Her eyes widened and she jumped out of the way of another chakra tail, "Why?"

"Hitori, I don't think reasoning with him will work," Taran whispered.

"I'm not reasoning, I just want to know what the hell is so wrong that he has to destroy everything. I thought you were going against your father's plans," She dodged and landed in front of Kurai, taking his hands that were outstretched as they directed the tails and holding them gently in hers, "Chi told me once that he had to do a horrible thing. When I asked him why, he said that if he didn't many more lives than the ones he took that night would be lost. But there was one person he couldn't harm, and he even made it so that person would later kill him and become a great hero."

"It didn't work," Kurai snarled. Taran noted that the chakra he was flinging had flared down and started to edge closer.

"Daddy says it did. Uncle Sasuke was the one who defeated Madara in that last war, not Daddy, not anyone else. Kurai... you don't have to choose destruction! You're the absolute last member of your clan, you should be trying to revive it or something."

"Hn," He smirked again, "Are you volunteering Nine?" he gripped her hands and pulled her closer, "You want to know why I want to destroy everything?" he whispered in her ear, "The nine of us, the seven bijuu children, myself, even your friend Taran were all planed by my father. Eight of us were engineered, not even born a normal way, and the sand brat there was born of a forced marriage that had no love. No love in it at all for _any _of us."

"That's not true," she hissed, "Auntie Maya loved plenty. Even if the marriage was false, there was love. And Chouko and Neko... from what Taran told me they loved you and the woman who made you all."

"Ah, but that's the heart of the matter isn't it. Madara forgot about free will. He wanted slaves, and he had them from six of us," Kurai smirked, "_I_ was supposed to be Nine, but something entirely unexpected happened that forced him to change his plans even before the rest of us were old enough to matter."

"That attack..." Hitori's eyes widened, "From the very beginning he wanted me dead."

Taran kept creeping closer, the sand flying around him quietly as he stared at the point where Hitori and Kurai were, trying to figure some way to separate the two.

"He certainly never expected the Hyuuga girl to be able to reel in Uzumaki. Love almost ruined Madara's perfect laid plans. Once I found this out, I thought, perhaps this would be such a lovely chaotic world. I don't want peace, I don't want order... I want sweet destruction. Everlasting war... because that's when people are truly their strongest. Do you think you would be able to even exist if that bitch who whelped you hadn't had the chance to prove herself? She would have died alone in obscurity, never even catching the eye of your father. Or has your Uncle never told you the story of how she jumped into a battle she had no hope of winning," he sneered, "Just to confess her feelings."

"Do you really hate that much?" she asked, sorrow in her eyes.

"I killed one of my dearest friends, there is no hope left for me," he threw her down and turned, "And now..." his wrist flicked, and the source of the massive chakra moved away from him.

"No!" Hitori leaped into action, trying to stop the kunai as it flew through the sand.

"No escape." Kurai smirked, "They call to each other after all."

Too late she reached the side of Taran, another kunai out to deflect the one flying. It hit him in the chest and he fell backwards as he gasped at the sudden _emptiness _inside of him.

It had taken three days for the Akatsuki to take the ichibi from Gaara. It took only three seconds for Kurai to take it from Taran.

_The sand didn't save him! _Hitori pressed her hand to stop the bleeding, "Don't you dare..."

Emerald eyes stared at her and he reached up a hand to brush against her hair, "It's... the strangest thing... I hear the ocean..."

"Taran!" she cried out water pooling in her eyes, "Stay here!"

"I thought you both were expecting to die," Kurai said as he swung his arm back and the kunai flew back to land in his outstretched hand, "Why the tears Nine? Aren't you happy... he won't suffer from the ichibi now."

Tears fell down her cheeks, "Taran... wait on me..." she shook from the sorrowed ache in her heart, pale blue eyes on his stilling form.

"Don't... be... rash..." he whispered, "I... _can't_... save... you..."

She nodded, "I finally learned," she whispered, and leaned down to brush her lips against his. She stood and turned to Kurai, "I still can't hate you, even though I'll never forgive you. And I won't simply hand you the Kyubbi." she jumped away.

He felt her chakra flee and flipped the kunai in his hand, "It's futile to run Nine! I have all the others now!"

Kicking Taran's dying body, he gave chase.

* * *

_He was running on the beach as a small boy, reveling in the feel of the sand and water beneath his feet. _

_"Taran, come here," a gentle voice called, and he turned to see his mother smiling at him from a little whiles away. He turned, and ran towards her._

_"Don't go there," a deeper voice warned him, and he stopped and turned to see a crow pecking at a snail on the sand, "You won't be able to make it back. _She_ asked you to wait remember?"_

_"Taran!" he looked back at his mother, who was waving, "Come on, we're all here!" Next to her he saw the woman with long raven hair and the blond man standing next to each other and smiling, Behind them a little ways he saw more people, some struck him as familiar, one, a girl with green hair and bright red eyes, even joined in his mother's waving as she spoke to another girl, this one with her dark hair in a ponytail._

_But even further behind them, there was another blond man, this one with serious blue eyes, that sat next to a red-headed woman who was smiling and laughing as the man locked eyes with Taran._

_"Go back." those blue eyes seemed to be saying. Next to him a white haired man and a blonde woman stared at him, "Go back." they urged. A masked man with silver hair standing next to a dark haired man in goggles, "Go back." Twin men with long hair and white eyes, "Go back." A sandy blonde girl with grey eyes, "Go back Taran. Save her." A man with raven hair and raven eyes, "Go back. Save my son."_

_Taran turned back to the ocean, to the way he had come from, "But how do I get back?" he wondered aloud._

_"Go the way you came," the deep voice that stopped him from running to his mother earlier spoke, "You'll find it eventually."_

* * *

"Taran!" Kiyomi yelled as she knelt next to him, "Aiko... Hurry!"

The medic nodded, and glowing green chakra was summoned from her hands, "The wound isn't deep, but he's lost consciousness for some reason."

"The ichibi," Shiro stated, "He no longer carries it. And Hitori and Kurai have gone too far ahead for me to track."

"I'm losing him," Aiko cried, pressing onto his wound. Tear streaked eyes looked up at Shika, "It's the same as..."

He knelt down and wrapped his arms around her, "If the ichibi was taken, then there was nothing you could have done."

"Then it seems that we were right in following you," Gaara's voice said as he and Neji landed behind them.

"How?!" Megami started as the other shinobi stared, too stunned to even speak.

Neji patted her head, "The blind spot, and Shino was kind enough to make us undetectable to your beetles."

"What about the joint armies?" Shika drawled, "Aren't you supposed to be commanding them Uncle?"

"I've put your father and mother in charge of the tactics," Gaara said crossing to his son and kneeling down, "I once made the mistake of letting a dear friend of mine, the very first I had the pleasure of calling friend bear his burdens alone. He was as stubborn as Hitori, so it wasn't _exactly_ from lack of effort on my part but," he placed his palms on Taran's chest, "Prophecy or not, we refuse to let these children die," he turned to Neji, "Watch carefully."

Neji nodded, byakugaun active.

"Kazekage-sama!" Kiyomi yelled, "That jutsu..." tears formed in her eyes, "You can't..."

His teal eyes steeled themselves on her, "I _won't _let my son die while I have the knowledge and power to save him."

"Then who will be Kazekage?" Shika asked, "Your people need you..."

"My people will have him," came the answer as he started.

"No!" Kiyomi shouted as she ran to him, tearing his hands away, "He wouldn't want this!" she whirled her head to Neji, "And you plan on doing the same thing to Hitori... hasn't enough of her family died already? We should be trying to track her down and help her win, not wait until she dies to bring her back."

"She's at that place," a strained whisper sounded and everyone turned to stare at Taran, who was wincing as he sat up, supported by Chozo.

"How..." Aiko stared, "But you were..."

"Some of her stubbornness rubbed off on me," he smiled painfully as he stood.

* * *

Below her she felt the magma bubbling just beneath the surface and she stopped and turned.

"The birthplace of the world," Kurai said as he landed, "How fitting that it'll be the end."


	33. Book 4 Chapter 7

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto isn't mine, and the second generation herein is.

* * *

_

_**Book Four, Chapter Seven

* * *

**_

"She's at that place," Taran said again, somehow finding the strength to stand.

"What place?" Shika asked, "Where?"

Neji's eyes widened, "But the terrain there is too unstable!"

* * *

_"Uncle Neji, we want a story," Hitori called, as she ran to him and pulled on his robes._

_He turned to the little girl and her friend, "Isn't Maya the one who tells you your bedtime stories?"_

_She scrunched her nose, "Yeah, but Auntie Maya's stories are boring. Your's at least have fighting and adventure in them."_

_He ruffled her hair, "What if I refuse to tell you a story about those things and instead tell you where your name came from?"_

_"My name?" she asked, pale blue eyes sparkling, "It's special?"_

_Taran reached to hold her hand then as Neji smiled and nodded, "Very special. It comes from a legend older than the Sage of Six Paths. My father used to tell it to me when I was your age." he led the children to their room and after he tucked them under their blankets, sat on their bed, "A very long time ago, before the world was ever created, there was a lone light in the universe. No one knows where she had came from or which of the gods had created her, but she was their source of beauty and happiness,"_

_"Who?" Hitori asked, as she and Taran leaned closer to him._

_"A maiden that could change into a bird, when she was a woman, she had bright blue eyes and long wavy red-gold hair, when she was a bird, she had fiery feathers. She had no fighting prowess, but when she sang, even the most cold-hearted man would weep in happiness at her voice."_

_"It was that pretty?" she asked, and he nodded._

_"One day, tired of being in the cold dark, one of the gods who was outcast from the others decided that he would steal this song bird, and set aside a prison for her made of dark earth and freezing water. The cold and damp he thought would be enough to keep her locked away from the other gods, and he planned to make her sing only for him. He trapped her easily enough, she was trusting and sought to end his loneliness by visiting him one night."_

_"If she was the only source of light, how did the gods know it was night or day?" Taran suddenly asked._

_"They're gods silly!" Hitori chided, "They don't need light to tell!" She turned back to Neji, "But didn't she think this guy would hurt her? He was an outcast!"_

_Neji chuckled at the interruption and continued, "She had faith that he wasn't all that bad. She thought that perhaps he was only lonely, and that he just needed a bit of love."_

_"What happened?" Hitori asked._

_"He imprisoned her, but instead of being trapped, within the confines of her cage, she burned even more brightly than she ever had," pearl eyes sparkled, "And do you know what happened next?"_

_Both children shook their heads._

_"From within her cage she began to sing, and from her song, the earth and water moved and combined with her fire. Above the cage, wind and lightning stormed together and from all this, the cage she was in began to change. It started becoming green as life crawled from the door to her cage outwards. The god who had trapped her saw this, and for the first time, was moved. He created people for her to breath life into, animals to join those people, and then..."_

_Both children leaned even closer still, hanging on every word._

_"He opened the door to that cage and she flew out, creating the sun and moon and stars as she flew. Then she saw him, waving goodbye to her, but with tears in his eyes, not of joy as the others, but of sorrow of seeing the beautiful creature go. She stopped, and returned to him at the door of her prison, and as he embraced her, she sang a new song, promising him to always return if he would in turn promise to watch over this new world and let her freedom."_

_Hitori sighed, "But... where's my name come from?"_

_He smiled, "Hi... fire, tori... bird. That's what she was, and that's who you are," his voice dropping to a whisper, "Gaara really liked the legend too, I told it to him a long time ago when I was a diplomat... and that's where Taran's name comes from, he was the god who trapped the firebird."_

_Both children nodded at that, "What song did she sing to him? Did Great-Uncle tell you?" Hitori asked._

_He nodded, and cleared his throat..._

* * *

"Far have I flown in skies too dark to see,

Far have I wandered with nothing alive to hear.

Far have I fallen in love with you to feel how

Far I have taken my own life for granted.

Here we have a sun and moon to see.

Here we have running waters and soft earth to hear.

Here have you fallen in love with me, now

Here you and I will live hereafter."

Kurai paused as he heard the song, "Was that supposed to move me?"

Hitori looked out over the volcano, where as legend had it, her namesake had created the world with a god's help, "No. I just thought that I should sing it, so that_ they_ can hear it again." she clapped her hands and offered a prayer, then after she clapped again, turned to Kurai, "Haven't you ever felt an inkling of faith?"

"No, and you're trying to delay the inevitable," he snarled.

"Thanks for letting me have a moment," she smiled, "But I'm afraid that I can't let you complete the Jubi." with that she activated her byakugaun, and unfurled a scroll, _This is the only one I have in reserve._

_**Then we finish it now.**_ the Kyubbi snarled, _**And we destroy all the other bijuu along with him!**_

Across from her, chakra flailed out from Kurai as he lunged forward.

_Five minutes! Then... _her eyes narrowed as she braced herself for the attack, "Either the world ends, or I will."

* * *

"How are you still alive?" Gaara asked, not wanting to sound ungrateful, he was feeling far from it, his son was alive. _Taran doesn't have to suffer anymore..._ he almost went to hug his son, only the severity of the situation at hand kept him from doing so. _I'm not sure I want to know how. He's..._

But still... the ichibi's removal _should _have killed him.

Taran winced again, "There was an ocean... and I saw people there that have died before, but beyond them..." he turned to Kiyomi, "One of the ones who sent me back was Kiyoshi, I'm certain of it, and there were others, people I didn't know, but they knew me somehow." he sighed, wearily, "Father, Uncle... you should return to your army. As should the rest of us. The battle Hitori is in, it'll be over before we can get there to help," he smirked, "That's what I should say, but I know how we all feel. Let's hurry to help her out."

Shika nodded, "It's idiotic, but I'd rather we go forward than try and backtrack through this forest."

The rest nodded and they disappeared from the ruins, heading towards the volcano in the center of the continent, each praying that they would make it in time.

* * *

She dodged the flames and the chakra tails flying at her as she flew closer and closer to Kurai. Shurikan and kunai flew at her, and she used the gentle fist to expel them.

"No escape," Kurai smirked, and then she felt the chakra that was the mass of the bijuu come straight for her.

She did not dodge, did not deflect it in any way. Simply held it as it landed straight in her chest.

_**What are you doing? **_the Kyubbi cried.

_You have yet to disappear from me. _

More voices joined the Kyubbi's and she let the kunai fall lifeless to the ground.

"What... what happened?" Kurai demanded, "The Jubi should have come..."

"See for yourself," she whispered, and life came back to his eyes.

She stood at the edge of the volcano, raven and orange hair flying in the wind as her jacket whipped open and closed. Her pale blue eyes stared at him as around her, through her, in every fiber of her being the Jubi rampaged. Already parts of the volcano around her were starting to swell and erupt.

Kurai gulped as he felt the change in pressure, "What are you waiting for?" he snapped, "You won. Kill me!"

She closed her eyes, feeling the chakras of the world around her, _So this is your power..._

_**It's yours now. **_Whispered voices spoke to her from a dark place.

Below her, at the foot of the volcano, she felt the energies of her friends and family. _Taran... he's alive..._

Emerald eyes looked up in horror and he flew up the mountain not knowing what sight awaited him, "Hitori!"

She smiled, and took a step back.

_**What are you doing!? **_The voices cried now, except for two, the ones that belonged to the Kyubbi and the one that belonged to the Shukaku.

_**The brat will suffer! Go for it! **_Shukaku laughed.

The Kyubbi said nothing.

Hitori dived backwards then, aiming her body for the lava, _This power... it would destroy the world if it continues to exist. Even you bijuu can't escape from here. Your time... it's over._

Taran reached the top just in time to see her graceful fall. "Hitori!"


	34. Book 4 Chapter 8 END!

_**Children of Sorrowful Fate**_

_**AN: **__Naruto is not mine, though the second generation herein is. And here we are my loyal readers, the absolute last chapter of CoSF. I want to thank all of you who read this until the end, and that goes double for those of you who favorited, alerted, or reviewed my story._

_Huggles to you all!_

_

* * *

_

_**Book Four, Chapter Eight

* * *

**_

"Hitori!" Taran cried out and summoned the sand, sighing in relief as he grabbed her ankle, "You idiot!"

"Let go!" she called back, "Taran! I've got the jubi, so let go!"

_**Let him save you,**_ the voices came.

"You stay out of this," she muttered, and looked down to the lava, "Taran! Just drop me!"

He slowly, the sand wasn't quite responding as it used to, started to pull her up, "What was all that talk about not abandoning your friends you used to make, that you weren't going to make the same mistake that your mother did!"

"That was different!" she called back.

"How?! I didn't just come back from the dead just to watch _you_ die, now let me save you before I end up killing you for being stupid!" she was almost up, and struggling the whole way, "You _never _learn!"

The others had come up the mountain behind him, and Gaara threw his sand down to help Taran's, causing Hitori to squawk as it wrapped around her waist.

"Taran..." she chewed her lip, "The Jubi..."

"_You _control it!" he snapped, "Not the other way around, I don't give a _damn _about that prophecy. And even if it were true, then screw the world. I'm not letting you die!"

Kurai started to sneak away, but Megami and Lian grabbed him.

"You're not getting off that easy lover boy," the Hyuuga heir smirked.

"Taran..." Hitori tried again.

"I swear to the gods I'll start telling everyone about _that_," he growled.

"You wouldn't _dare_!" she exclaimed mortified.

Aiko and Kiyomi tried their best to refrain from giggling at the two, though Choji and Jin _were_ outright laughing.

"Then no more complaining about my saving your ass!" Taran snapped.

Shiro was looking down at the lava and the sand wrapped girl, trying to figure out how to send his beetles without their delicate bodies burning in the heat.

_**Kit, he does have a good point.**_

"Oh _now _you start wanting to live," she muttered to the Kyubbi, "When we heard that prophecy you were the one jumping all over the chance to find some eternal rest."

_**And you listened to him?**_ Shukaku laughed, _**Kid, he's been suicidal for **_**ages**_**, ever since the Uchiha started controlling him!**_

The other eight voices agreed in unison, and Hitori sighed in defeat, "Alright Taran. I'm not going to jump off the volcano."

"And?" came his angry voice.

"And I'm _sorry_!"

He narrowed his emerald eyes down at her before he finished pulling her up, "Idiot."

She smiled as the sand released her, replaced by his arms, "You forgive me?"

"You'll _never _learn will you?" he sighed.

"Probably not," she said sheepishly, "But with you around..."

Gaara pulled Neji away as the Hyuuga was about to break the two up, "Let's get back to Konoha."

The others followed, and Shika stayed behind a moment, looking over the volcano. He took a step and kicked the kunai, and bent down.

Looking at the strange thing, he sighed and threw it back behind him into the lava, "No sense in keeping such a troublesome thing." he looked ahead at where Taran and Hitori were walking, and arguing, side by side, "Not a bit of damn sense at all."

* * *

The armies had retreated, not being controlled anymore, and they returned to Konoha without incident.

The Kages met one more time, to discuss the punishment of Uchiha Kurai; however, with the intervention of the Hyuuga heir, he was released into her custody on careful watch.

"Why'd you do that?" he demanded.

Megami shrugged, "Maybe it's because you were my first kiss, no matter how you were using me. Or it could be that someone taught me that forgiveness and friends were important," she sighed, "Whatever the reason, I didn't just want you executed."

He lowered his eyes, "Thanks," it was almost too low for her to hear, but she did, and she was considerably happier as they made their way back to the Hyuuga manor.

On the way they passed by Jin and Chozo who were speaking with Kiyomi.

"We're heading back to Suna in a bit," she said trying to look like she didn't care, "I suppose that I'll miss you guys."

"Don't take so long in visiting next time," Chozo grinned, "I'm just as good a cook as my father, so I'll make us all a great dinner. Besides Jin wants to discuss art with you," he playfully hit his friend's back, "Give her the picture."

The dark haired boy turned bright red, "N..no!"

Kiyomi stared at him, "Picture?"

"You've been working on it since we left," Chozo pointed out, "It _has _to be ready, just give it to her!"

Chakra strings brushed pass Jin and reached into his sketch pouch as they retrieved a rolled up parchment, "Is this it?" Kiyomi said as she unrolled it.

"No!" Jin called but Chozo held him.

Kiyomi smiled as a tear came to her eye, "This is really good..." she placed a kiss on Jin's forehead, "Thank you," she whispered.

The boy blushed again as Chozo looked over her shoulder at the drawing of Kiyomi and Kiyoshi talking and laughing together as they leaned against a wall.

"Hey it is really good," he grinned, "You got their personalities down and everything!" he saw Lian and Shiro and called them over, "Hey come on and look at what Jin drew for Kiyomi!"

"Such young love!" Lian exclaimed as he skipped over.

"You hate me," Jin sighed and Kiyomi chuckled as Lian and Shiro looked over the drawing.

"Maybe the next one you can do one of all of us," she said quietly, "I think Kiyoshi would have liked a group picture of our friends."

Jin looked at her with a small melancholy smile, "I'll have it ready the next time you visit."

Across town, Shika was lying on the grass as he stared at the clouds, "What do you want?"

Aiko smiled as she sat on the ground, and he placed his head in her lap, "Everything seems to have worked out," she looked down at his hazel eyes, "Do you remember what you promised me when we became jonin?"

"Troublesome," he sighed, "Only you would remember something little like that."

She giggled, "I don't know, it's not often you get such an indirect proposal like that. At least you admitted that we worked well together."

"Only because I didn't like you working with any of those other guys," he made a face, "Dad asked me to keep an eye on you."

"So you've been my best friend all these years because I'm Asuma's kid?" she flicked his forehead, "You and I both know that isn't true Shika. Besides, I'm two years _older_ than you. I should be the one watching over _you_."

"You've been taking advice from my mother haven't you?" he grumbled, "Troublesome."

"I heard that she's going to stay behind when the Kazekage's entourage leaves," she looked a far ways off, "That since everything's back to peace, that our villages can go back to the treaties made after the war."

"Dad's not going to be happy giving up his bachelor pad," Shika didn't say what he really wanted to, and Aiko nodded, hearing it anyway.

"There's _also_ the rumor that you're going to be a big brother," he sat up and covered her mouth.

"_Stop_ talking about my parents like that!" he exclaimed, ignoring her blissful smile, "Do you have any idea how _embarrassing _that is?!"

"But they've always been so cute," she giggled when he removed his hand.

He groaned and stood up, pulling her to her feet, and both looked at the sky.

After a moment he sighed again, "Troublesome," he muttered as she giggled again.

At the village gates, the Kazekage's entourage was preparing to leave. Or rather, Gaara and Kankuro were preparing to leave.

"Where's Kiyomi?" the puppet master groaned, "That girl..."

She came running up then, shoving the drawing from Jin into her bag, "Here I am sensei, Kazekage-sama!"

"Let's go," Gaara said as he turned.

"We're not waiting on Taran?" Kankuro asked, "I mean I know Temari's staying but..."

The Kazekage didn't answer, simply quickened his pace and Kankuro and Kiyomi exchanged a look as they rushed to catch up with him, not noticing the small orb of sand that the red-head was controlling as he pressed a hand to his eye.

It flew through Konoha, searching for the specific chakra signatures, and passed through Neji's house first, then through some of the other spots that he had been shown on his few visits to the area.

Around sunset, when there wasn't much power left in the eye, he finally found what he was looking for on the top of the Hokage mountain.

Hitori leaned on her arms as she looked out over the village, "You're going to have to go."

"Not until you agree to come with me," Taran said as he played with the floating grains, one of the games he had been taught to control the sand.

"I've decided to be like Grandfather Jirayia and the Sage of legends and be a wanderer," she paused for a moment as the voices in her rallied their approval, "The Jubi shouldn't stay in one place for too long, and there's a lot of things that need to be done. So I can't come to Suna with you," she chewed her lip, "I'm sorry Taran."

"Then I'll go with you," he said, and the sand went to drift around her wrist, "You'll need me."

"I'm not..." she started to argue, and he cut her off by having the sand pull her to him.

"You do. I can't trust you to not be stupid about some things, so it'll just be easier on me and my heart if I come with you. Saves me the trouble of coming along and saving your stupid ass later," he buried his nose in her neck, "Tor... if I didn't catch you in time... I don't know what I would have done."

Her pale blue eyes softened, "Taran..." she sighed, "I would be too lonely if you didn't come," she admitted, "Thanks."

Behind them the sand eye dissolved, and miles away, Gaara smiled to himself as his entourage made camp.

* * *

Before long there was a new legend in the lands of the shinobi... One of a Wandering Sage and her companion that righted wrongs and brought peace where they could. In Konoha and in Suna, their exploits were received as well as those of their legendary parents that had fought in the Fourth Ninja War.

Long after their journeys had started, there was a new novel placed next to the Sannin Jiraiya's _Legend of the Gutsy Ninja_, one written by Sabaku no Taran, entitled _Children of Sorrowful Fate. _In it held the beginning of the journey he took with his childhood friend. It became a best seller almost overnight.

Their ending is yet to be seen. The sorrowful fate once ordained to them had long been defeated_._


End file.
